Save Me From Myself
by christina12565
Summary: She's been hurt. Broken. Beyond repair. Can he save her? My first FanFic. Please be Kind
1. Chapter 1

This is my first story. I hope you enjoy it.

**Bella's POV**

"Bella, we're leaving." My mom said, rushing past me with bags packed, with what I assumed was are clothes.

"Renee you don't have to do this." I watched my father sink to his recliner with his head in his hands.

"I cant do this anymore Charlie. I hate it here. There's something telling me there's something bigger planned for me, and I'm not going to find it living in LaPush."

I couldn't listen to them argue anymore, so I ran out the door and around the corner to my best friend and cousin Jacobs house.

Jacob and I were raised together. Dad and Uncle Billy were really close, and Jacob was a year younger than me. We were always inseparable. If I wasn't at his house, than he was always at mine. This past summer, we were at First Beach, just doing what Jacob and I do, and we ran into Embry. And because of Embry, Quil came straggling along. But it was the 4 of us since then.

"Uncle Billy, where's Jacob". I yelled running through the front door.

"He's down at first beach with Embry and Quil hunny, is everything o.k.?"

"Mom's taking me Uncle Billy, I have to find Jacob." I screeched running back out the front door in the direction of the beach.

When I found them wresting in the sand I couldn't help it. I dropped to my knees and started crying. How can she take me away?

"BELLA", I heard from my 3 out of breath best friends.

"I'm leaving. She's making me go. I don't want to go. What am I going to do?" I sat crying in my hands.

"What are you talking about Bells?. Where are you going?" Jacob said running up to me and throwing his arms around my shoulders in a bear hug.

"Stop crying, It'll be ok. Calm down and tell us what's going on." Embry said sitting down next to me, rubbing my back.

"Mom. She's ma… making me go. She said we are mo…. moving. Jakey I don't want to go."

"Bella, come on your mom's in the car waiting for you." I heard my dad say from behind me.

I stood up and wrapped my arms around Jake, holding on for life.

"I'm coming back Jake. Don't forget me. I love you. I promise…I'll be back."

"I love you Bells. I wont forget. You and me I promise." as he wiped the tears from my swollen face.

I turned around and saw Quil wiping his face, as the tears fell. He was always trying to be the strong one. Always the comic of the group. The one to make everyone laugh.

"Quilly come here."

"I love you Belly. Don't do anything I wouldn't do." He said with a slight smile.

"I love you too Quil. Take care of them for me please." I whispered in his ear.

Turning 1 final time I saw Embry. I ran to him and jumped in his arms.

"Keep them out of trouble Em. I love you."

"Love you too Bells." And he set me back on my feet.

With one final look I turned and started walking to dad, who was standing by the car, mom waiting impatiently inside.

The tears were running uncontrollably now. The flood gates opened and there was no way the river was drying any time soon.

"Dad…..I love you. I promise I'm coming back." He wrapped his arms around me, holding on for life.

"I know Bells…I know. I love you so much. Be good. I'll be there to visit when you get all settled. I promise."

Two hours later, I was sitting on the plane, heading to the desert. Heading to Hell. Arizona.

Review and let me know what you think


	2. Chapter 2

_**Bella's POV**_

"Mom, hurry up I don't want to miss my flight".

Yesterday was my 18th birthday. I haven't been home in 5 years. That's where I'm going. Home.

I missed everyone with a passion. I haven't seen my dad in over 8 months. He's been working with the elders of the tribe, and he's the Chief of Police in LaPush now. So its hard for him to come down and see me.

I haven't told anyone back at the rez about my coming. I wanted it to be a surprise. To be honest, I don't think anyone would recognize me anyways. I've changed a lot from that 13 year old that everyone would remember. I mean don't get me wrong, I'm still unnaturally clumsy, but the physical aspects are a lot different.

"Mom, come on."

"Alright, Alright… do you have the card Phil gave you, your cell, and the information for the rental car."

"Way ahead of you. Lets go."

We walked out the door jumped in the car, and headed towards the air port. With one last look over my shoulder, and a smile that plastered my face, that I couldn't seem to control, we were on our way.

I was going home.

"Attention this is your pilot speaking, we will be arriving at our destination shortly. Thank you for flying American Airlines."

I quickly made my way off the plane, went and got my bags, grabbed the keys from the car rental desk, headed out to car and started my 2 hr trip to LaPush.

When you are excited and anticipation is in the for-front of your mind, time seems to stop, or drag and an impossible pace. It seemed like it had been forever when I finally saw the sign that said "THE QUILETES WELCOME YOU TO LAPUSH." And I couldn't contain my excitement anymore, as I started bouncing in my seat, and stepping on the gas a little more.

As I made my way to small village up to my house, I noticed my dads cruiser wasn't in the driveway, but there were quite a few lights on, and there was a lot of movement coming from the living room window.

I climbed out of the car and almost ran to the front door, swinging it open so hard that it hit the opposite wall. "Oops."

Making my way through the small front hall to the living room door, sitting around the space were quite a few half dressed, and might I say ripped, russet colored gods.

"Where the hell is my dad and why the fuck it there a ton of half naked men sitting in my living room?"

Wait for it, wait for it.

"BELLS."

Three of the men jumped up suddenly.

"Jakey… I missed you so much." He sprinted to me quickly and picked me up in one of his giant bear hugs swinging me around.

"Bells, oh, I've missed you so much. Why the hell didn't you tell anyone you were coming? Does Charlie know? How'd you get here? Things weren't the same with you gone."

"Calm down Jake one question at a time. I wanted it to be a surprise, I drove from the airport, and no dad doesn't know. Where is he anyways?"

"He's down at the station, he should be coming home in about an hour." Putting me down on the floor, I turned and noticed Embry and Quil still standing twitching and fidgeting a little trying hard not to burst the Jake, Bells bubble.

"Come here boys." Holding my arms out to my other 2 best friends.

Next thing I know I'm on the floor under 2 huge men giggling.

"Missed you guys too."

"Are you home for good? Please say your not going back? We can't go through that again Bells."

"Yea Embry, I'm not going anywhere. I told you guys I was coming home. It just took a little longer than I hoped."

"Damn Belly when the hell did you get so hot. Fuck I'm going to be beating the shit out of half the damn town when they see you."

Ah same ole Quil.

"Nice to see you too Quil, I see time has changed appearances, but not mentality."

"Huh?"

I couldn't stop laughing at his face. Guess I have to back off on using big words with him. Most of the room was now rolling around laughing at the display in front of them.

"Boys not trying to be mean or anything, but can you get the hell off me, I'm hungry and I really need a shower."

really need a shower."

The two climbed off me, each grabbing a hand and lifted me off the floor, putting me back on my feet.

"So you guys going to introduce me to your friends."

"Oh yea right, umm Bells this is Sam," Jake said pointing to the one sitting in dads recliner on the other side of the room.

"Ah, so this is the Chief's daughter. Its nice to meet you Bella."

"Likewise."

"Next we have, Collin and Brady the youngest of our little group." Pointing to two sitting in front of the couch.

"How old are you guys."

"13". They both said at the same time. My mouth dropped. How in the hell were they only 13, they could easily pass for 16 or 17 year olds.

"Then we have Seth and Jared." He said pointing to the two on the couch holding game controllers."

"There's two more too our group, but there out right now. You'll meet them later." Embry said walking behind me , wrapping his arms around my waist and laying his chin on my shoulder. I flinched at the contact, but controlled myself quickly. Its just Embry Bella, get over yourself, I chanted in my head.

"Sounds good, but I have a question. What the hell is in the water here? You guys are freakin huge." And I earned myself another round of laughter from all the giants sitting in the room.

"Ok well I'm going to take a shower. I'll be down later to make some dinner. Are all you guys staying?"

I heard a round of yes's and see you in a few minutes from the guys as I turned around and headed up the stairs to the bathroom.

"Jake?….Quil?.. Can you guys grab my bags out of my car and put them in my room for me? I said making it to the top of he stairs.

"Yeah"

"Thanks."

I made it to the bathroom, peeled my clothes off, and jumped into the shower, letting the hot water, ease all the stress and aches from my body. Unconsciously I started running my fingers over the scars that laid scattered across my stomach.

"Don't think about that now Bella, Its over, he's not coming. Your safe here." I whispered to myself. I hated that I had to give myself a pep talk on a regular basis. You'd think that after 2 years the pain would ease, and at least some of the memories would fade. Not the case with me. I've become a master though, at hiding my feelings, and not showing the pain. I've become what most would think as the normal teenager. I just wanted to forget.

I climbed out of the shower, and quickly dried off. Wrapping a towel around my body and another one around my hair I made my way out of the bathroom and into my room. Dressing quickly in a simple pair of shorts and a grey t-shirt, and throwing my hair into a pony tail, I made my way downstairs and into the kitchen.

Looking through the cabinets, I noticed there wasn't too much to choose from. Ah-ha, pasta it is. I grabbed the pot, filled it with water and set the stove. Running around the kitchen that hasn't changed any it the years I was gone, I had everything I needed to make a quick alfrado, and set to work getting it ready.

"Who's car is that outside?' I heard coming from the living room.

I quietly made my way out of the kitchen, and sneaked up behind my dad, wrapping my arms around his stomach.

"It's me dad, I'm home."

He spun around quickly, knocking me back a couple steps. Mouth hanging open, shock apparent on his face.

"Might want to close that dad, you don't want to catch flies." I tried. Hearing another round of giggles coming from the living room.

"Bella, is that really you?"

"In the flesh."

He closed the distance between us and wrapped me in a hug.

"I'm not letting you go again. I missed you so much hunny."

I couldn't stop the tears.

"I'm not going anywhere daddy. I'm home now. No one's taking me away I promise."

"What's that I smell? Are you cooking?"

"Oh shit, I forgot about the food. Yea, I'm making alfrado. Hungry?"

"Do you have to ask?" I started laughing again.

"Alright it will be done in a few minutes. We'll catch up later on when there aren't so many ears. K."

And I turned around and made my way back into the kitchen and set the table.

Ten minutes later I had the food done and 10 people sitting around the massive table, digging in.

"Damn, when was the last time you guys ate?" I couldn't help it, watching them shovel food into there mouths. Poor guys looked as if they hadn't eaten in a week. You'd think they'd at least stop between bites for a breather.

"We like to eat. And we eat a lot. You'll get used to it." Brady said, smiling at me.

"Well if that's the case I need to go shopping tomorrow. Really dad how were you surviving with the food you have in here.".

"I go to the diner a lot. Its that or pizza. But pizza with these guys tends to cost quite a bit."

"Well that'll have to change then." I said with a little grin. One thing I've always known about my dad, he can not cook to save his life. I mean its pretty bad when your dad asks you, how you know water is boiling enough to cook pasta. Poor man didn't have a clue. And at least with me around now I could help in that department.

"Jared, Seth, you two have dish duty." Sam said when we finished up eating.

"No its ok Bella, you go rest, we've got this."

"Alright, well I'm going to go to bed. I'll see you all later." As I turned around I was wrapped in another hug by Jacob, Embry and Quil.

"Night Bells." Jacob said

"Its really good to have you home." Said Embry

"Come by Jake's tomorrow, were having a barbeque. It'll give us more time to catch up and you can meet Paul and Leigh." Quil said.

"Will do. I love you guys."

"Love you too." They all said.

We disengaged ourselves from each other, and I turned and walked to dad pulling him in for another hug.

"I love you dad. Its good to be home."

"Love you too hun. Go get some sleep. We'll talk more tomorrow."

I quickly made my way up to the room. Getting dressed quickly in my grey yoga pants, and just a plane tee, I climbed into the bed. Looking around my room while laying there, I realized it hadn't changed any in the years I was gone. It kind of felt like I was being pulled back into the past. A past where my childhood was carefree.

Man life can throw you some wicked curveballs, I thought to myself as a single tear slipped from my eye. Wiping it away quickly I closed my eyes, and waited for the dreams, I knew where coming.

"_Where are we going? I though we were going to dinner?"_

"_I just wanted to show you this place I found. Relax baby." He said_

_We pulled up in front of what looked like an abandoned warehouse. He quickly climbed out of the car and made his way around the other side, holding the door open and helping me out. _

"_We're going in there?"_

"_Yeah, come on."_

_He grabbed my hand, and started pulling me through the entrance. When I started to hesitate he gripped my hand harder. _

"_I'm not sure about this, Maybe we should just go to dinner."_

"_Oh I'm positive about this."_

_He quickly spun around and slammed me up against the wall._

"_Now listen Bitch. We've been 'seeing' each other for a while now. And to be honest I'm tired of the whole innocent game your playing. Your going to enjoy everything I do to you tonight." He said, palming my breast painfully. _

"_Please. Don't do this."_

"_I didn't tell you to speak Bitch." He said raising his hand and backhanding me into the wall. I slowly slid down, tears pooling in my eyes. I could taste the blood from my lip splitting from the blow._

"_Now where were we." _

My eyes snapped open. My hair was soaked in sweat. He still haunted me. Consumed me. I may be able to escape during the day. But he appeared at night. Every night.

_**Let me know what you think. Should I keep going?**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**Bella's POV**_

I heard the music and laughter walking up to the familiar red house. Standing back and watching my surroundings, I couldn't help but feel peace.

"Bella."

"Uncle Billy!" I said running into his waiting arms causing his wheelchair to roll back a few inches.

"Glad you could make it over hunny. We were getting ready to make one of the guys come over and drag you out."

"Aww how sweet. I just wanted to make a couple pies before I came over. By the way they ate last night I kind of figured the more food the better."

"So true. Well, why don't you head over and make your presence known."

"Sure. We'll catch up later." I said standing myself up and heading towards the group of men.

"Look who finally showed up. Come on Bells there's a couple of people you still need to meet."

"Alright, just let me put these pies down Em." I said walking towards the picnic table that was covered in food.

Walking back over to Embry he grabbed my hand.

_Flashback_

"_I'm not sure about this, maybe we should just go to dinner."_

"_Oh, I'm positive about this."_

_End Flashback._

"Bells…..Bells….You still with us?"

"Huh…oh…yeah….sorry." I said dropping my hand from his.

"I thought we lost you there for a second. What's on your mind."

"Nothing. Just thinking. Now where are these two you wanted me to meet." I was trying to change the subject before he started asking to many questions.

"Right….. Umm over here." He said. I followed him over to the group of people standing together in the back yard.

"Leigh…..Hey Leigh?" Pulling her attention away from the guys and turning around, I started feeling a little inadequate. She was beautiful. She stood about 5'11, 5 inches taller than me.

"Hey, you must be Bella."

"Um. Yeah. It's nice to meet you." I said holding my hand out, which she took quickly.

"Well its nice to have another girl around. There's only a few of us to keep all these idiots in place." She said laughing. She was easy to be around and conversation flowed smoothly for the next few minutes.

"Bella I'd like you to meet Paul". Jacob said coming up on my right.

When I turned to look at him, something clicked and time stopped. I felt as if I was being pulled to him. Like for some reason, I needed to get to know this man. I needed to be near him.

"Fuck." I heard from somewhere behind me, snapping me out of my trance.

"Umm. Its nice to meet you Paul."

"Likewise. I've heard a lot about you Bella. These dicks haven't shut up about you since you came home." Waving his arms around.

For some reason or another, I was lost. Lost in his chocolate covered eyes. Taking my chances I began taking him in. He had short black hair that seemed to go where it wanted in some places. Sliding my gaze downward. He didn't have a shirt on. God what is it with these men and walking around half dressed. His chest was well defined and he had a stomach that most models would kill to have.

"See something you like."

Damn I was caught. Turning around quickly I started to make my way back to the house. I had to get out of here. I couldn't do this again.

"Uncle Billy I'm not feeling to good. I think I'm going to go home and get some sleep. I'll stop by later if I'm feeling better." I said, hoping that I can make it out of there before to many questions were asked.

"OK hunny, I'll let everyone know. You probably just got a good case of jet-lag. I'll see you later."

Quickly giving him a hug and a quick kiss on his cheek, I walked at a quick pace to the front of the house, once I got there I picked up pace and jogged home to my sanity. What the hell is wrong with me. I kept thinking to myself over and over again.

_**Paul POV**_

Patrol was getting worse and worse. What the hell's the point in being a shape shifter if you never have a fucking leech around to kill.

Leigh and I had patrol last night and by the time I got home I fell into bed and let the exhaustion overtake me.

"Paul…..Paul….Hey fucker get your ass up." I jumped up quickly when I felt a bucket of cold ass water being poured over my head. Jared

"What the fuck man."

"I've been trying to get your ass up for about ten minutes now. I had to take drastic measures man."

"Why the hell did you try to wake me up in the first place. You know I had patrol last night. Shit."

"We have the barbeque today. I thought you might like to get your ass out of bed if you wanted to eat. You know how they are." Hell yeah I knew how they were. I showed up about 3 hours late to the last one, and there was no food to be found anywhere.

"Alright, alright…I'll be down in a few."

Jumping out of bed I grabbed a pair of clean cutoffs from the basket off the floor. And ran down stairs.

"Nice to join the living." Seth said throwing one of the pillows that found residence in my living room at my head.

"Yeah, Yeah lets get over to Billy's, I need to eat."

"Hey, Bella's coming over today right?" Collin said.

"Who's Bella?"

"Charlie's daughter, she came home last night and I guess she's staying. Man you should see her."

Just then we made our way around the back of Billy's place. Most of the pack was wrestling. Emily and Kim were at the grill. But I noticed that Jake, Embry and Quil were in some form of deep conversation, apart from the rest of the guys. Making my way over I picked up on a couple things they were saying.

"Man she's a lot different than when she left." Embry said.

"Of course she is dumb ass, she isn't 13 anymore. She's hot as fuck now…" Ah Quil.

"Something happened to her though. Charlie told me that the last few times he went to see her, she seemed cut-off. Out of it I guess. He wont tell me what, Hell I don't even think he knows, but we've got to keep an eye on her."

Jake's speech caught my attention and I figured now was a good a time as any to make my presence known.

"Hey fuckers, who's this Bella I keep hearing about?"

"An old friend of ours. Her mother up and left Charlie 5 years ago, dragging Bella with her. She came home last night." Quil said.

"Well is she coming by today?"

"She said she'd come, we'll give her a little while longer and if she hasn't showed we'll go get her." Jake said.

Just then I turned to see Billy with a goddess looking woman sitting in his lap.

"Oh wait. Never mind, she's here." Said Embry

"That's Bella. You guys have been holding the fuck out."

"Shut the fuck up man, she's not like that. Don't let me find out she's next on the list of Fucked by Paul Meraz." Jacob said punching me in my shoulder.

"We'll see." I whispered low enough for anyone to hear.

When she got up from Billy's lap, Embry ran over.

"Look who finally showed up, come on there's still a few people you need to meet." He said.

"Alright, just let me go put these pies down." She said walking over to the picnic table and setting them down. She turned around and started walking back over to Embry. He reached out and grabbed her had and she instantly froze. She seemed locked into some sort of trace. Em was trying to snap her out of it.

"Bells…..Bells….You still with us?" He said. Just then her head snapped back up.

"Huh…oh…yeah….sorry." She quickly dropped his hand. Huh.

"I thought we lost you there for a second. What's on your mind."

"Nothing. Just thinking. Now where are these two you wanted me to meet." And they started walking over to where Leigh was standing.

"See I told you something happened to her. Did you see how she just zoned when Embry grabbed her hand. They always used to hold hands." Jake said.

"Yeah but we aren't going to know until she says something Jake. Don't push her. You know how she is. It'll only make it worse." Coming from Quil.

"Yeah, your right. Anyways, come on Paul I guess it's time for you to meet her. Just please don't fuck with her. I have a feeling something bad happened and I don't need her running away."

"No problem Jake, lead the way."

We started across the yard to where Leigh and Bella were standing. Jake walking a few steps in front of me. He walked up to her and tapped her on her right shoulder.

"Bella, I'd like you to meet Paul."

She turned around and locked eyes with me. My world stopped. Gravity was replaced with her. I was drawn to her. Oh fuck I just imprinted.

"Fuck", Embry said, who was standing behind her. He knew from the look on my face what had just happened.

"Umm. Its nice to meet you Paul."

"Likewise. I've heard a lot about you Bella. These dicks haven't shut up about you since you came home." I said waving my arms around to the pack of oversized boys.

When I looked back at her I noticed that she was checking me out.

Hell yeah, I was being eye fucked by Bella Swan. This will be easier than I thought.

"See something you like." I tried making a joke, letting her know she was busted. I had never seen anyone blush as hard as this woman standing in front of me. All to quickly she spun on her heals, and went back over to Billy. A couple minutes later she was walking back around to the front of the house.

"What the hell just happened?" I said to no one in particular.

"She said she wasn't feeling well and needed to get home. She said if she was feeling better later, she would be back out." Billy said.

Just then Sam walked up to me with a big shit eating grin on his face.

"Well looks like later on we'll be having a bonfire."

He turned his attention to Jake then.

"If she doesn't come back in a couple hours, would you mind going down to her house and seeing if she would like to come out to the cliffs for a bonfire tonight?"

"Yeah, no problem Sam." He replied.

Well. One way or another my fucked up world is about to change.

_**Should I keep this going….Let me know.**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**I forgot to mention before , that all characters sadly belong to Stephanie…I do not own them, I just like to play with them. Sorry this ones a little shorter.**_

_**Bella POV**_

"Bella…Bells. Come on wake up." I shot up quickly to someone shaking me, coming face to face with Jake.

"I'm up, I'm up…what's the matter. Jake you look like you've seen a ghost." And he did. He was pale white. Well as pale as he can get. His eyes written in worry.

"You ok Bells, you were screaming…kept saying, please don't do this to me."

Shit. How am I going to get out of this one.

"Yeah Jake. I'm alright. Guess I was watched one to many scary movies. Wait, what are you doing here?"

"We're having a bonfire out on the cliffs tonight, and everyone sent me over to see if you'll come out." He must have noticed the look on my face.

"You sure your alright Bells? You know I'm here if you need to talk right?"

"Yeah I'm fine." And I planted what I hoped was a believable smile on my face.

"Well are you coming to the cliffs?"

"Can you run up to my room an grab one of my hoodies please? It gets kind of cold out there." He turned around and made his way for the stairs. I was kind of hoping to get him a little distracted in order to pull myself together. A couple minutes later he came barreling down the stairs carrying my black sweatshirt and we walked out the door.

When we made it to the cliffs it was twilight. The best time to be up here. The sun setting behind the water, gave a sense of serenity that you cant get anywhere else. Lord knows I've tried looking for it.

I made my way to the edge, and looked down to the water crashing on the rocks. Peace.

Looking at this, it gets me thinking of that song. That song that I've been singing now for the last few years whenever I thought about these cliffs, and without realizing it start singing it quietly.

Well, it's not far down to paradise

At least its not for me

And if the wind is right

You can sai away, and find tranquility

Oh, the canvas can do miracles

Just you wait and see

Believe me

It's not far to never-never land

No reason to pretend

And if the wind is right

You can find the joy of innocence again

Oh' the canvas can do miracles

Just you wait and see

Believe me

"Where'd you learn that?" I heard from behind me.

"It's a song by Christopher Cross, called Sailing. When ever I hear it I think of this place."

"Why this place?" Paul said sitting down next to me.

"I don't know really. Whenever I think I'm not going to make it through the day, I think of this." Waving my hand around.

"I don't think you can get closer to heaven than this. The wind blowing, the sound of the birds in the distance, the waves crashing on the rocks. The colors of the sunset. It doesn't get much better for me. And when I close my eyes and take it all in all I feel is serenity."

"That's pretty deep Ms. Swan."

I looked at him then and noticed he was watching me closely. Reading me. And for the first time, I didn't panic.

"Yeah, well what I've been through, and with what I've seen, a little piece of this feels like heaven. There's no worries here. You can just 'be'.

"You know you can talk to me if you want, about anything you want. I wont judge you."

"Thanks. Maybe I'll take you up on that sometime. But right now I really want a couple of roasted marshmallows. Its been a long time since I've had one."

I couldn't understand why I felt so comfortable with him. I wanted to tell him things. But my own fear and self-loathing won. I put my hand in his hand that he offered, and he pulled me up to stand. A warmth I've never felt before spread through me from the simple contact.

He led me to where everyone was sitting, and I sat down on the peace of dried up driftwood next to him. Uncle Billy and my dad, where sitting next to each other, and everyone turned to them and waited for them to begin talking.

This was one of my favorite things growing up. Listening to the elders tell the old tribal tales.

" It is told that the Quileutes, have magic in there blood. Many, many years ago, Ephriam came across a group of abnormal beings. They had skin as pale as snow, they never aged, and there beauty outshone above everyone. They are called the cold ones. Many feed off the blood of humans. But a few…. The golden-eyed ones vowed to only feed from the blood of animals. The Quileutes created a treaty with these cold ones. If they promised to only feed off animal blood and stay off of our lands than we would live at peace."

I continued to listen to my Uncle tell the old tribal tales. I was always amazed at the way he told the stories.

"Bella." My uncle said.

"We need to tell you some things."

"Go ahead Uncle Billy."

"We need you to stay calm, and listen to everything we say."

"O.K."

"The reason we brought you here tonight was not only to retell the legends. We also brought you here to tell you, that these legends are all true. Cold ones exist. Shape shifters exist. And they exist around us tonight."

I quickly looked around to all the overgrown men, I slowly opened my mouth to say the only thing I could.

"I know."

_**Tell me whatcha think**_

_**Song was Sailing by Christopher Cross**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**I don't own Twilight, Stephanie does. I just play with the characters.**_

_**Paul POV**_

The rest of the barbecue went as it always did, everyone engorging themselves in food, and mindless talking. I couldn't seem to keep my mind off of Bella and a few of the guys decided they were going to be using that as there new source of comic relief.

Yes I Paul Meraz have handed over a piece of my man card . And I haven't even had a decent conversation with the girl yet. Hell I scared her off 10 minutes after showing up.

"Hey guys, I'm heading over to Bella's, I'll meet you up at the cliffs." Jake said walking through the front yard in the direction of Chief Swans place.

And we all headed up the cliffs. My own personal paradise.

See everyone here knows me as the hard ass. The one with 'issues'. I've found that being an ass hole is a whole hell of a lot easier in dealing with shit than anything else.

A few minutes later the girls showed up. Guess the finished packing up the barbeque. Having bonfires were the best way to get out of clean up duty when there's a barbeque. Sam makes the younger ones stay behind to help. While Jared, Seth, and me usually come up first to gather wood and what not.

But tonight was different. Tonight Bella was going to be learning that all the legends and 'stories' that she heard a kid were all real. And I was scared shitless that she was going to high tale it the other way. Yeah I can only imagine how that was going to work out.

"Hey Bella guess what, all those stories you were told growing up. Well there all true. Me and these ass holes around this pit are all big fucking dogs. Oh and by the way, fate decided you are my soul mate. Why don't we go back to my place and make it official."

Yeah I can totally see how that wont freak out or piss anyone off. Fucking hell how am I going to do this.

"Calm down Paul. It'll be alright. Geez take a fuckin breather." Jared said.

"I know man. Sorry. Just freaking out here a little. What if she doesn't take this well?"

"We don't know if she will. We just have to tell her and see where it goes from there." He said while gathering more wood.

I walked through the trees on the other side of the ledge that I like to sit and think on. While breaking through the tree line I heard someone singing quietly. And the voice was angelic. I sat back and watched as she pushed her arms out to the side, mimicking a bird with its wings spread.

It's not far to never-never land

No reason to pretend

And if the wind is right

You can find the joy of innocence again

Oh' the canvas can do miracles

Just you wait and see

Believe me

God she was beautiful. I didn't want to scare her by sneaking up behind her so I stayed back a little.

"Where'd you learn that?" I said, breaking the silence.

"It's a song by Christopher Cross, called Sailing. When ever I hear it I think of this place." she said still looking out over the water.

I took my chance and walked up to the ledge and sat down beside her. She looked so peaceful right now. A complete one-eighty from the girl I met earlier. And because of it she seemed even more beautiful.

"Why this place?" I said after a few moments.

"I don't know really. Whenever I think I'm not going to make it through the day, I think of this." She said waving her hand around. I realized in that moment that Jake was right. Something bad had happened to her. I wanted to know. I wanted to help ease some of that pain that I saw in her eyes.

"I don't think you can get closer to heaven than this. The wind blowing, the sound of the birds in the distance, the waves crashing on the rocks. The colors of the sunset. It doesn't get much better for me. And when I close my eyes and take it all in all I feel is serenity."

Its funny how I always thought of this place as my own little piece of heaven on earth. I was glad in a way that I wasn't the only one that thought that though.

"That's pretty deep Ms. Swan." I couldn't help but add in. She seemed so lost in thought. In a way, lost in her own mind.

She looked up at me then, while I was studying her features. I was trying my hardest to figure her out.

"Yeah, well what I've been through, and with what I've seen, a little piece of this feels like heaven. There's no worries here. You can just 'be'. she replied.

That's all I needed to know. Now I know that something bad happened. I could try to be her rock, try to help her if she wanted it. If she'll let me in.

"You know you can talk to me if you want, about anything you want. I wont judge you." I told her, just hoping that if she needed anyone I would be here. I just hope she'll come to me when she's ready.

"Thanks. Maybe I'll take you up on that sometime. But right now I really want a couple of roasted marshmallows. Its been a long time since I've had one." Breaking me from my Bella trance, I giggled as a stood up and offered my hand to help her up.

She took it almost immediately and I felt a warmth spread from my hand to the rest of my body. We walked hand in hand back to the fire. I let her hand go and sat down on the piece of driftwood that I usually set up for myself. I didn't want to pressure her into sitting with me, but when she came over and placed herself beside me I couldn't help the smile that broke across my face.

Billy decided to start the stories and as he was telling them I was roasting marshmallows and passing them over to Bella. I don't even think she noticed while she was eating them because she was so in tune with what Billy was saying. She smiled a lot, and when Billy started talking about the cold ones, I noticed she started shaking a little bit.

I wrapped my arms around her, tucking her into my side. Giving her a little of my body heat to help warm her up a little bit.

I couldn't help but smile. This felt like home to me. My background….my history….didn't mean anything anymore. Nothing mattered but her.

I looked across the fire to where Sam and Emily were sitting. They both smiled at me and I prayed that we would be like that. I finally know what the imprint is like. Why Sam is the way he is with Emily. Why Jared is the way he is with Kim. Quil….well I couldn't help but chuckle at that one. His imprint was only 2 but even then I didn't understand the connection between them. Even if it was just a big brother type connection. I do now.

I understand how you want the person sitting next to you to be happy. And seeing the sadness in Bella's eyes, even when she was trying to make everyone think she was happy, only made me hurt to help.

"Bella." Billy said, pulling me out of my self induced brain funk.

Here we go. I kept repeating to myself. God I hope she takes this well.

"We need to tell you some things." Please, please, please. Don't freak out.

"Go ahead Uncle Billy." She said nonchalantly.

"We need you to stay calm, and listen to everything we say."

Someone needed to calm me the fuck down. God I hope she takes this ok.

"O.K." She said.

"The reason we brought you here tonight was not only to retell the legends. We also brought you here to tell you, that these legends are all true. Cold ones exist. Shape shifters exist. And they exist around us tonight."

I took a quick glance at her to see how she was doing. Internally I was coming up with a back up plan to rectify the fuck up if she does decide to take off.

It was too quiet though. Her mouth was hanging open just a little bit. And the next words she said surprised the hell out of all of us.

"I know."

And then she blacked out. Falling backwards, I quickly grabbed her and laid her onto one of the blankets Emily brought.

"What the fuck just happened? How the hell did she know it was all true? Someone please help me out here, I'm kind of freaking the fuck out." I said. I knew I was going to phase.

"Paul, go in the woods. Embry, Quil, Jake, your closest to her, go with him. I'll get Bella home and we'll try and figure out what's going on."

I made it into the woods and barely got my shorts off before I phased. I heard the other 3 come up behind me so I turned to them.

"_How did she know." Quil said_

"_I'm not entirely sure, but we need to know what happened to her in Phoenix." Jake said_

"_Did you see her stomach?" Embry said._

_I couldn't help but growl. I didn't like anyone looking at any part of her._

"_Oh shut the fuck up. When you picked her up her shirt rode up a bit. Dude her stomach has quite a few scars on it." Jake said_

"_Well we cant just come out an ask her. She's fucking sad man. Have you looked into her eyes, I know I haven't known her as long as you guys, but I can see the pain there. I can feel the pain there." I said_

"_Well we'll just have to sit back and wait. Get her to trust us enough to tell us what happened. I know I'm not going to be the one to come out and ask her. Hell I just got her back I'm not taking any chances with her leaving because the curiosity got the best of me." Embry said._

"_Yeah your right. Lets get back over to the chiefs place and check up on her." I said making a mad dash across the wooded area in the direction of her house. _

When we entered the yard we all phased back, pulled our shorts up and ran through the back door.

"Is she alright, where is she" I said walking through the kitchen and into the living room.

There she was laying on the couch, still unconscious from the cliffs.

"Has she woken at all?" Embry said.

"No, not yet. We figured we'd wait until you all got back. I figured Paul would want to be here when we tried to wake her up."

He was right. I did want to be there. I moved slowly over to the couch and kneeled down on the floor in front of her. She started whimpering a little , saying words in her sleep. Mostly broken but I did catch a few. "No", "Stop". "Don't want to hurt any more." The last one got everyone to perk up quickly. And I started rubbing small circles on her hand.

"Bella. Bella hunny wake up." I tried. Still nothing,

"Bella, come on. Everyone's here and they want to make sure your ok." I tried again.

She still wasn't responding so I grabbed her shoulders and started shaking her. After a few minutes of this she shot up quickly and screamed. Then she started crying.

"Hun you ok? Why are you crying? What's the matter?" I started firing off questions, not really giving her the chance to answer them.

She looked at me and gave me a small smile and then looked up to see everyone standing around us. Concern all over there faces.

"I'm fine you guys, Really. Just tired." She said

"That didn't look fine Bells. What the hell happened out there, and how the hell did you know about all the legends being true." Her father spoke up.

"Memories dad. Sometimes they get a bit overwhelming. Really I'm fine. I'm going to go to bed. I'll talk to you more tomorrow." She said getting up, and walking across the living room.

"I will say one thing though." She said when she made it to the stairs.

"I've had my run in with a few cold ones." And she disappeared up the stairs.

Charlie turned to everyone and he had an expression on his face I've never seen on him. Pissed, absolutely livid. He walked across the room and grabbed the phone off the hook.

Dialing a number that I know wasn't local because he had to put the area code in first he waited for someone to pick up.

"Hello" someone on the end said

"Renee don't lie to me, what the fuck happened to Bella 2 years ago."


	6. Chapter 6

_**All characters belong to Stephanie. I just like to play with them.**_

_**A quick note though. Bella and Paul wont be together officially for a while , I want them to form a friendship first before jumping in. **_

_**Bella's POV**_

"_She's suffered some major lacerations to her torso, her right leg was broken, and she had 3 cracked ribs, but with all that has happened, we are hopeful she will make a full recovery." I heard from someone standing close to me. _

"_Thank you. We'll be sure to contact you if we have any more questions." I knew that voice. _

"_Mom? What's going on? Where am I?" I said opening my eyes and then shutting them quickly. The light was almost blinding. _

"_Oh hunny we were so worried." She said_

"_Mom what's going on?"_

"_You don't remember anything?" _

"_Mrs. Dwyer, she was upset with me, and tried running down the stairs at the hotel. Unfortunately with her being as clumsy as she is, she must have tripped and fell down a flight of stairs, she went through the window. I didn't know what to do so I just picked her up and brought her here." He said_

"_No..No .. Its alright. Thank you so much." She said to him._

"_Alright hunny you get some sleep. I'm going to go down to the cafeteria to get something to eat. I'll be back in a little bit and then we can get you home."_

_In my head I was screaming out to her 'please don't go. don't leave me with him' but I knew it was useless. She held him on a damn pedestal. He could do no wrong._

"_Bella, you know what will happen if you say anything."_

_I cringed away from his touch._

"_I won't say anything. I promise."_

"_Now that's good. That's good. We're leaving. I've decided that its just not worth the risk having you in our world. I want you to keep up with your story. Don't let anything slip. I will find you if I hear anything otherwise."_

_He leaned over me suddenly grabbing my hip with one hand and pinning my hands above my head with the other._

"_Just one more taste before I go." He said leaning over my now exposed hip._

"Bells… wake up sweetheart. Its ok. Everything will be ok." My dad said leaning over me with panic written all over his face.

"Dad… How did I get like this? Why wont it stop? Please make it stop." I said hugging him as tight to me as I could. I was crying again, but dad didn't seem to mind me using him as a human sponge.

"Hunny its ok. Your safe. No one is going to hurt you here. I promise."

"I know. I cant keep him out of my head." I suddenly realized what I said and quickly jumped back covering my mouth with my hand.

"What time is it dad?" I asked. An idea forming in my head.

"It's quarter after 9:15 hun. Why do you ask?"

"Do you think its possible to have Jake, Quil and Embry come over. I need to go grocery shopping, and I'd like to spend some time with them."

"Sure thing, I'll go call them, why don't you go jump in the shower and get ready. They'll probably be here by the time you get out." And he walked out the door.

I jumped up getting all the things I needed for my shower. I couldn't take another shower with dads stuff. Nothing like an 18 year old girl running around smelling like Axe. And made my way to the shower. I turned the water on, as hot as it would go, jumped in, and leaned my head against the opposite wall, letting the warm water soothe away my pains.

I started running over the crescent shaped scar over my left hip. The one that hurt the most. The one that showed me that I was indeed in a world that I didn't belong in.

But ironically enough, it didn't hurt so bad today. The pain I was used to during my morning routine almost seemed, bearable today. I don't remember the last time no tears came during my mental vomit of all the shitty things that happened 2 years ago.

Getting out and quickly drying off and throwing on a simple pair of skinny jeans and my long sleeved black polo shirt, I threw my hair back up in a messy pony and headed downstairs with purse in hand.

"Dad are you in the kitchen" I yelled out when I was almost to the last step.

"Yeah Bells the guys just got hear, and there tearing into the last of the food we have."

"Well they better hurry the hell up, I have to get the car back to Port Angeles and then were going grocery shopping. If there not out to the car in 2 minutes, the train is leaving the station without them and I'm just going to have to go to the pizza place by myself."

I was almost knocked over by stampede that made there way from the kitchen to the front door. Quil turned quickly, noticing that I was losing my balance, and steady me.

"Sorry Belly, you said pizza." I toppled over laughing.

"Well at least I know what to use to get your asses moving." I said between breaths.

"I'll see you in a few hours dad. Then we can sit down and talk. Is there anything you

need while I'm out?"

"No, I'm good. Just drive carefully."

I turned and walked out the door to the rental car, and climbed in. Jake was in the front, Embry was sitting behind me and Quil was on the other side. I started the car, pulled out, and headed towards the car dealership in Port Angeles.

Pulling into the Toyota Dealership I went into give the keys to the clerk and grab the title and keys to my new baby. The guys were outside waiting.

"Uh Bells this is nice and all, but how the hell are we going to be doing any shopping if we don't have a car to do it with. I didn't realize you were giving the rental back, I would have followed you with my car if I would have known."

"That's ok Jake, if you want to run back to the house to grab your car that's fine. But I'm going to go get my little ass in that hot truck right there. Your more than welcome to follow if you'd like." I said grinning, turning and walking towards my new baby blue, 4 door Toyota Tacoma. Phil made sure I had a car lined up when I got here. He checked all over the place online and after I saw this one, I knew the decision was made.

"How the hell did you afford this Bells?" Embry said, with his mouth hanging open.

I walked up to him and with the tip of my pointer finger, I put it under his chin and pushed up, effectively closing his mouth.

"Phil got it for me for my birthday. He's a pro ball player and he set me up with this and a nice cash flow in a bank account back in Phoenix. Now are we going to be sitting here all day looking at the truck, or are we going to get in and go get some pizza? I don't know about you guys but I didn't eat last night or this morning, and I'm starved."

All 3 of them jumped into the truck, proving my theory that if food was involved I can get them to bend to my will. Filing that in the back of my head, I started the truck and headed down the block to our favorite little pizza place.

Before the truck was even stopped Quil had the back door open and him and Embry jumped out. Causing a round of laughter from Jake and me.

We all went inside, I ordered a small cheese with mushrooms, Jake ordered a large supreme, and both Quil and Embry ordered meat lovers. We walked over to the table drinks in hand and began catching up with each other.

"I forgot what this feels like." I said to know one in particular.

"What's that Bells?" Jake said.

"Just getting out, laughing, being carefree almost. If feels good. I missed it." I said.

"We're glad your home babe. We missed you so much." Quil said.

The pizza showed up then and I didn't waist a moment digging in.

"You know how long its been since I've had pizza. Damn you guys got it good here."

"Why haven't you had pizza in a while?" Jake said.

_Flashback_

"_You know you shouldn't eat that garbage. It doesn't do anything good for you."_

"_Its just 1 slice, god it cant be that bad."_

"_No, I'll have mom make you something, throw that shit in the garbage."_

_End Flashback_

"No reason really, just started eating healthier back in Phoenix." I hated lying to them. They all shared a quick glance at each other, that I'm guessing they thought that I didn't catch.

We finished up our pizza headed back out to the truck and made our way to the grocery store. I had each one of the guys plus myself grab a cart and we pushed them around together loading up on anything and everything we could think of. By the time we got checked out and my card was swiped for the 800 dollars we managed to get, we headed out loaded up the truck….thank god I got the truck, and headed home. I knew what was coming when I got home. Dad.

When we got home, and got the groceries put away, I pulled the things out for dinner. Stuffed peppers sounded good. I pulled out my peering knife and got to work cutting the tops off of the peppers.

"Need any help?" The voice behind me made me jump, causing me to slice through the pepper and cut the palm of my hand

"Fuck, shit that hurt. Oh god I'm sorry." I said going through the cabinet next to the sink grabbing a hand towel and wrapping it around my hand.

"Shit I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you, hold on." He said coming over and grabbing my wrist pulling me over to the sink.

"We need to rinse it off. Here let me see." He pulled the towel off and put my hand under the water. Rubbing slowly around the palm to remove all the blood that was on my hand.

"It doesn't look bad. I don't think you need stitches. Do you have a first aid kit anywhere?"

"Yeah, upstairs in the closet by the bathroom." I said

He gently put my hand on the counter and left the room. Coming back a few minutes later with the first aid kit in hand. He opened the kit, pulled out the peroxide, Neosporin, and a large band aid.

"This may sting a little", he said opening the peroxide and pouring a little on my hand. I flinched at the contact and it did hurt a little, but he brought my hand closer to his mouth and began slowly blowing on it. When he was done with that he put a little Neosporin on it, covered it with the band aid, and dropped my hand.

"I think you'll be ok."

"Yeah, thanks."

"No problem."

I turned around and started working on dinner again.

"So was there something you needed Paul?" I said

"No, Just wanted to come over and see how you were holding up. Can I help you with anything?" He replied.

"Well I'm holding up pretty good, and if you want to help you can grab that knife there and start cutting the tops off of the peppers. I'd do it but I think one knife injury tonight is enough" I said chuckling.

"Sure. I'd be happy to help." He said walking over to the counter.

"You know, your not like I thought you'd be." I said trying to start up some sort of conversation. The quiet was unnerving.

"Why do you say that?" He said.

"Its just, when we were younger, you were always so mean to me."

"I was mean to you? I don't remember ever seeing you before."

"Yeah I think it was like 3rd grade or something. Yeah I was 9. You were in 5th grade at the time, I was walking down the hall with Jacob and you tripped me, and kept walking. I think you were even laughing. You used to do things like that to me and Jake all the time."

"That was you? Wow, you have changed a lot." He said. I started laughing.

"I did a lot of things I'm not proud of, and I'm sorry if I ever hurt your feelings or anything." He said with a frown on his face.

"I didn't need an apology or anything Paul. But I do forgive you. Its all in the past."

"How do you do it?" He said.

"Do what?"

"Be so forgiving."

"We are all full of weakness and errors; let us mutually pardon each other our follies"

"Wow, where'd you hear that from?"

"Voltaire…. Sometimes its just easier to forgive, than it is to hold on to it. There are a lot of people who do a lot of stupid things, but if we hold onto all that anger and don't forgive, then one day it bubbles up and boils over. And the anger consumes you. I don't want to be like that."

He was looking at me, face blank, and for once it wasn't me that seemed lost.

"You alright over there?" I said walking up to him.

"I am, Thank you."

"No problem, now get your ass over there and finish with the peppers, before I change my mind and hold a grudge. We have a pack of hungry oversized wolves coming over in a little while. Get to it."

**Let me know what you think**


	7. Chapter 7

**_Sadly I don't own the characters. Steph does, But I love playing with them. _**

**_This chapter was a little harder for me, but I think I got it ok. And thanks for all the reviews. This idea just popped in my head and I'm kind of just going with it. I'm not 100% sure where I'm going with it. Enjoy…_**

**_Charlie's POV_**

"Renee don't lie to me, what the fuck happened to Bella 2 years ago." I said seething.

"What are you talking about Charlie?"

"I want to know what happened. She's not the same. She's broken and I want to know what the fuck happened to make her that way."

"She had an accident."

"What kind of accident?" I said. Man getting answers from her was like interrogating a man arrested for first degree murder.

"She went out with her boyfriend for the night…."

"What do you mean she went out with her boyfriend for the night, she was 16 years old. What kind of parent lets there child on an overnight date with her boyfriend?" I was losing it.

"Are you going to shut up and listen. I don't need this right now Charlie."

"Fine, but you better start giving me some answers."

"She went out with her boyfriend for an overnight date. He said he was taking her to dinner and then back to the hotel." He was a good man Charlie. I trusted him, I still trust him. Anyways, I got a phone call at about midnight the night she went out. She was in the hospital. When I got there the doctor said she broke her leg, cracked a few ribs and cut her stomach up pretty good. Charlie, she got in a fight with her boyfriend. She decided to leave. You and I both know that's she's clumsy. She tripped, fell down a flight of stairs, and went through a window. Her boyfriend found her, and took her to the hospital. That's it."

"That's not it Renee.. Something is not adding up. I wasn't born yesterday, and I'm praying to god that you don't believe that sack of bull shit coming out of your mouth. What's her boyfriends phone number? I'd like to call him and ask him what happened that night."

"He left her. When she was in the hospital. She fell asleep, he wrote her a letter telling her that he couldn't deal with it anymore. That she was better off without him. He was gone by the time I got back from the cafeteria."

"Don't you find that odd Renee. Your daughter was in a major accident as you say, and then her boyfriend that loves her so much, and who is such a good man, up and leave's her shattered and broken in the hospital. You know what. I don't have time to deal with this right now. I have company over. But I will say one thing. I don't know what the fuck I was thinking letter go with you. Out of everything that's happened in my life, that was the worst. And just remember one more thing. She's home. She will not me going back there."

And I hung up the phone. I couldn't listen to her sprout bull shit anymore. I'm telling you, the best thing that every came from our relationship, was sleeping above my head right now, and I'm sure as hell going to find out what the hell happened to my baby.

I dropped my head in my hands as the tears started falling. De Ja vu. Seems like Renee is the only one that gets me going like this. I haven't cried in 5 years. The day she took my baby out of my life.

"It'll be alright Charlie." Sam said sitting next to me on the couch.

"I know…I know, I just wish the bitch would open her eyes. What kind of boyfriend goes on an overnight date, ends up in the hospital with said date, and then dumps her all within a 24 hour span. Its not adding up. Even I'm not that fucking dense."

"We'll get it all figured out, it just might take some time." He replied.

"Yeah your right. Well I'm sorry to do this boys but I really need you to get out of my house now. I'm tired as hell and I have to go in tomorrow for a few hours."

"See you later Charlie." I heard most of them say, as they were walking out the door.

Standing up quickly, I started walking towards the stairs. When I made it through the entrance of the living room, into the small hallway, I noticed Paul was still here, leaning against the door.

"You know I can hear her breathing up there. Her heartbeat." He said

"I know son."

"I just wish I knew of a way we can help her."

"The best you can do now Paul is be her friend. She needs a friend."

"Do you mind if I come over tomorrow for dinner sir." He said to me. Was he kidding. There here almost every day, raiding what I have. Which wasn't much.

"I just mean, I mean, I don't know if you would mind us still coming over like we used to with Bella home. I wouldn't want to make you or her uncomfortable." Where is this coming from. Paul being nice, sincere.

"No Paul its fine. Really. Can I ask you though where all this is coming from? Your being nice, and there's no hint of attitude behind it. I actually impressed." I said smirking.

"Its Bella sir. She's saving me, and the worst part is she doesn't even know it. The least I could do is try to save her." He said as he turned and walked out the door.

I just stood there for a second. I turned on my heals and walked up to my room, fell on my bed, not even bothering with taking off my uniform, and fell into a dreamless sleep.

I woke up to screeching, turning over I looked at the alarm clock 8:45. I climbed out and headed down the hall to Bella's room. Then she screamed. Yanking the door open, I found her thrashing around her bed, saying I promise, I promise. I ran over to her quickly and started shaking her shoulders. I tried for a few minutes and she wasn't snapping out of it.

"Bells… wake up sweetheart. Its ok. Everything will be ok." I yelled. She snapped her eyes open, looking around. She started crying again, throwing herself into my arms, hugging my like she couldn't get close enough.

"Dad… How did I get like this? Why wont it stop? Please make it stop."

I really didn't know what to tell her. I didn't know what was going on. I didn't know what was happening.

"Hunny its ok. Your safe. No one is going to hurt you here. I promise." I said trying to calm her down a little.

"I know. I cant keep him out of my head." She said, then she must have noticed she slipped and said that when she clutched her hands over her mouth. At least I got a little more info. I know now that it was the ass that did something too her. It wasn't just a little accident.

"What time is it?" She said, obviously trying to change the subject.

"It's quarter after 9:15 hun. Why do you ask?"

"Do you think its possible to have Jake, Quil and Embry come over. I need to go grocery shopping, and I'd like to spend some time with them."

"Sure thing, I'll go call them, why don't you go jump in the shower and get ready. They'll probably be here by the time you get out." I said walking out the door, down the stairs and into the living room. I picked up the phone and dialed Jake's number.

"Hello"

"Hey Billy, is Jake there?" I asked.

"Sure is, give me a minute, I'll get him for you." I heard him put the phone down and yell across the house.

"Jake get your furry ass to the living room, Charlie's on the phone for you." I started laughing. Leave it to Billy to lighten a mood. He always found it more effective to shout orders across the house instead of just rolling to them and giving them the messages.

"Hello." Jake said

"Hey Jake, Is Embry and Quil with you?" I aked.

"Is there a day there not at my house?" He said causing me to laugh again.

"Right, well Bella just got up and she wanted to know if the 3 of you wanted to go out for a little while? She said she needed to get some groceries."

"Yeah sure, we'll be over in a few minutes." He said. And I hung up the phone and went into the kitchen. I quickly made myself a cup of coffee and sat at the table with the paper. Morning ritual I guess you can say.

A few minutes later the front door opened, and the boys walked into the kitchen, going straight for the cupboards and fridge.

"Dad are you in the kitchen" I heard coming from the stairs.

"Yeah Bells the guys just got hear, and there tearing into the last of the food we have." I said, earning a glare from the 3 mentioned.

"Well they better hurry the hell up, I have to get the car back to Port Angeles and then were going grocery shopping. If there not out to the car in 2 minutes, the train is leaving the station without them and I'm just going to have to go to the pizza place by myself."

I have never seen those boys run so fast out of the kitchen. They almost ran poor Bella over on the way out. Thank god Quil caught her.

"Sorry Belly, you said pizza." He said.

"Well at least I know what to use to get your asses moving." Oh if only she knew how right that little comment was.

"I'll see you in a few hours dad. Then we can sit down and talk. Is there anything you

need while I'm out?"

"No, I'm good. Just drive carefully." She turned and walked out the door. I looked up at the clock and realized it was almost 10:15 and I had to be down at the station by 11 so put my coffee cup in the sink threw the paper in the trash and went upstairs to get ready for work.

I walked into the house around 5, and immediately noticed a change in atmosphere. I heard laughing. Lots of laughing from the kitchen.

Peeking around the corner, I saw Paul and Bella talking. Bella was mixing something on the stove and she had Paul? Helping? What the hell is going on in this house. Paul ducked out of the house, every time something came up, that may have needed a little extra man power. Weird.

Turning into the living room I saw the other 3 nit wits sitting around playing some sort of video game. To be honest I think that was the best thing I ever invested in. Before I got that there was always furniture being replaced , or walls being repaired. They sometimes thought that my living room was a live wrestling ring.

"Hey chief." Quil said

"Charlie. I've told you before son. How'd today go?" I said.

"Went good. Had fun." said Embry

I tell you, its pointless getting a whole answer while there in front of that thing. I'm kind of surprised to be honest that Embry made it to 4 words this time. I chuckled to myself.

"Well I'm going to go take a shower. Why don't you boys go out and help Bella out by setting the table."

"Ok. Right after this level." Jake said. I just shook my head and walked up stairs to get a little more comfortable.

"Dad! Dinners ready." Me and the guys were all sitting around the living room watching the game. I got up from my chair and started heading towards the door. What she said next made me almost topple over.

"Here doggy, doggies, come and get it…" I couldn't help it, at least she still had a sense of humor. The others didn't find it as funny but Kim and Emily were just like me.

Ah stuffed peppers tonight. We all sat around the table and started digging in. We kind of made it a rule when everyone started phasing that the 'humans' would get there plates first. If they were to go in and try to get a plate while the 'wolves' were getting there's, there's a good chance that limbs would be lost.

After supper Sam had Collin and Brady on cleanup duty, and everyone else went into the living room to catch the rest of the game. After the game was over we sent everyone on there way. Bella gave a quick hug to Quil, Embry, and Jake and then surprised me by giving a quick hug to Paul. Huh.

Sitting back on the couch I waited for her to start talking. Her breathing got a little heavy, so I got up went into the kitchen and grabbed her a glass of water, I brought it back in handed it to her.

"Thanks." she said.

"No problem hunny. I'm not going to lie to you now. I want to know what happened. And I know something did happen. I talked to Renee last night and she told me about the accident you had a couple years ago. Hun I wasn't born yesterday, I know that's not what happened. You can tell me."

"Its just so hard dad. I want to. I really do."

"Tell me what you can. If it gets to be too much, we'll stop. I wont push you."

"I thought he loved me. I really did. I replay our relationship in my head over and over again. After a while, I began to realize the love was one sided. I loved him. I loved him more than myself dad. But it wasn't like that for him. He was all about control. About how he can maneuver me and mold me into what he thought was perfect. Mom had him on a pedestal. He was the perfect boyfriend. He never did anything wrong. Man what a screwed up mind she had. You know what she told me one time? She told me not to do anything to hurt him." I said laughing. "She didn't tell him not to hurt me."

I was sitting listen to my little girl go on about her love for this dick that obviously broke her heart. Becoming more and more pissed at Renee.

"He asked mom if he could take me out for the night. I didn't really feel comfortable with that yet, but he assured me that we were just going to dinner and then back to the hotel to watch movies and hang out with out mom around. God I'm such an idiot. He picked me up about 6 and we headed to the other end of town. I asked him what we were doing, we were supposed to be going to dinner and he told me he wanted me to see this place he found."

She started shaking, so I got up and closed the few feet in front of us, slid down on the couch next to her and held her to me while she cried. I didn't say anything. I didn't know what to say.

"You know how they say that everything you believed in, everything you know, can change in the blink of an eye?" She said.

"I didn't believe it then. I was so naïve. I trusted so many people. The ones I trusted most out there let me down… He pulled me out of the car and I told him that I didn't think it was a good idea, that we should maybe just go to dinner, but he dragged me into the building anyways. He threw me up against the wall and told me he was tired of me acting innocent. He hit me in the face pretty hard. Pulled me back up and told me that I was going to enjoy what he did to me. I still cant get the image of him out of my head. He pulled me into another room off on the side, there was a bed in the middle of the room, with a rod coming out of floor at the head of the bed. He threw me on the bed and chained my arms to the rod. He ripped my shirt off and just sat there looking at me. I was petrified. I knew what was coming. I knew there was no way of getting out of there."

I was trying to be strong for her. The tears were welling in the corners of my eyes threatening to spill over. Years she's had this bottled up. I didn't think it could get much worse. It tore me apart hearing her tell me this. Breaking down in my arms. I have no idea how to comfort her. I didn't know if I could handle much more. But I sat. Listening. I could give her that at least.

"He grabbed something sha..sharp, that was on the floor next to the mattress. He moved up to my ear and whispered 'a lot of people say that there is a certain amount of pleasure that comes out of pain. He started dragging whatever he had in my hand up and down my stomach. The first few hurt so bad I thought I was going to die from the pain alone. I wanted to die. I wanted it to end. After a few more I couldn't feel anything. I was numb."

I started crying hard when she told me this. She turned into me a little more and started rubbing my back.

"I'm sorry dad. I'm so, so sorry."

How did we end up here? Here she was tortured by her boyfriend and she's comforting me. She's apologizing to me?

"No hunny. Never apologize for this. This is not your fault. This is that bastards fault. Not yours. I think we should stop for tonight. What do you think?"

"Yeah. I don't think I could handle the rest right now."

"Ok then change of subject, did you have a good time with the boys today?" I tried to lighten the mood, and it seemed to work a bit. She started smiling.

"Way to change the subject dad. Yeah we had a good time. I cant believe how much they ate though."

"Yeah they can pack in some food. Hey by the way how'd you get Paul to help you out in the kitchen today."

"I didn't do anything. He came in and asked to help. He's not like I thought he was. He's really nice." She said , smiling brightly.

"Oh, well. O.k."

"Look dad I'm getting pretty tired. I think I'm going to head up to bed. I'll see you tomorrow. Love you." She got gave me a quick hug and a kiss on my cheek and headed up stairs.

"Love you too Bells."

I couldn't help thinking about what I saw this afternoon and what Paul said last night.

"Its Bella sir. She's saving me, and the worst part is she doesn't even know it. The least I could do is try to save her**." **

_**Review if you'd like. **_


	8. Chapter 8

**Like always I don't own the characters. I just play with them. Thanks for the reviews, they motivate me to keep going. **

Chapter 8

Paul POV

I sat on the floor next to the wall listening to the conversation between Charlie and Renee. I have never seen him so mad before. But he had a good point. What kind of parent lets there 16 year old go out on an overnight date with her boyfriend. And what really happened to land her in the hospital. The story wasn't adding up to me either.

When he hung up the phone and dropped his head in his hands it brought tears to my eyes. Charlie was a strong man. He may be an asshole most of the time, but I cant really say that I don't deserve it. There have been plenty of times Charlie showed up on the scene, when I got 'out of control'. Watching him break like that. Especially in a room full of men just added to the respect I held for him.

Sam went over and sat on the couch next to him. Trying to comfort him, as best he could. After speaking with Sam for a few more minutes, Charlie told everyone he was going to go to bed. So everyone made there way to the front door. After saying goodnight to most of them, Sam came up and patted me on my shoulder.

"I need you to patrol at 6 am. Jared will be out there with you."

"O.K, I'll see you tomorrow Sam." And he walked out the door heading towards his own.

I stood in the doorway of the now quiet house taking everything in. I could heart the faint beating of her heart. I could here the intake of breath. I laid my head against the doorframe, and just listened. I didn't know how long I was standing there, but when I opened my eyes I saw Charlie standing there watching me.

"You know I can hear her breathing up there. Her heartbeat."

"I know son."

"I just wish I knew of a way we can help her." I said.

"The best you can do now Paul is be her friend. She needs a friend." And I fully intended to fill that role.

"Do you mind if I come over tomorrow for dinner sir." He was looking at me kind of funny.

"I just mean, I mean, I don't know if you would mind us still coming over like we used to with Bella home. I wouldn't want to make you or her uncomfortable." And it was true. I knew that they had a lot to talk about. I didn't want my presence here to effect anything. If I could at least help there, then so be it.

"No Paul its fine. Really. Can I ask you though where all this is coming from? Your being nice, and there's no hint of attitude behind it. I actually impressed." I saw Charlie grin. Yeah I guess this did seem a little odd to him.

"Its Bella sir. She's saving me, and the worst part is she doesn't even know it. The least I could do is try to save her." And I meant that. I turned and walked out the door.

When I walked the 2 streets down to my house, I climbed the stairs, went into my room , climbed into bed, and let the darkness overtake me.

"_What the fuck are you doing home today?"_

"_Mom said I had a fever, and I couldn't go to school."_

"_I don't give a fuck what your mom said, you know what, where is that bitch anyways?"_

"_She said she was going to take a shower."_

_He looked at me for a minute and then turned for the stairs. _

"_No please don't, she just wanted to make sure I get better."_

"_It doesn't matter, I don't like seeing you here when I get home from work. Fuck I put all the food on the table, the least I ask for is the chance to come home to a house were a little fucking punk isn't running around."_

_I sat there and put my hands to my eyes. Chanting to myself, Please don't hurt mommy, Please don't hurt her. And then I heard it. _

_SLAP, _

"_What the fuck did I tell you bitch. I don't want him here during the day."_

"_Stop, Please, he isn't feeling good. He's running a fever."_

"_I don't give a fuck, figure out something, and quick." and then I heard the bedroom door slam. _

_Mom came walking down a few minutes later. _

"_Maybe you should go out back for a little while Paul."_

"Paul…..hey Paul, come on man wake up." I turned my head and came face to face with Jared.

"Come on man, we have patrol."

"Yeah I'm up, I'm up."

"How bad was it this time. I came in and you were thrashing a little." He said to me.

Jared knew everything there was to know about me. He was always there for me. When the stupid fuck came home from work most nights, it was Jared's house I would escape too.

"Not as bad as some nights. I just wish I did something sooner , you know."

"I know man, but its in the past….come on lets get to work." He turned and walked out the door.

See the rest of the pack saw what I went through, through my head when I was phased. Jared kind of lived it first hand with me.

I climbed out of bed, threw on a pair of running shorts and left my room.

I made my way into the kitchen grabbed one of my large serving bowls and the box of cocoa pops. Jared already had the gallon of milk at the table.

"Man you didn't eat at home?" I asked him.

"No I wanted Fruity Pebbles and mom wont buy it. She says there's no nutritional value to it or whatever." His mom was on a new health kick, and I sometimes felt bad for the poor bastard. There's nothing like an oversized werewolf being fed tofu and beans.

"Ah, I see."

We finished off our breakfast, threw the bowls in the sink, and headed out back to the tree line. We stripped our shorts quickly, strapping them to our legs and phased.

"_Hey you think you can do me a favor later on?" I asked him._

"_Depends on what it is. I've gotten stuck in too many compromising situations here man."_

"_I was wondering if you can ask the guys to hold off from going over to the chiefs for a little while. I was going to try to catch up with Bella, see if I can get to know her a little better." _

"_Yeah, I can do that. Just watch yourself there Paul. You wouldn't want anyone to think that the ass hole Paul himself is going soft."_

"_Man fuck you. You mean soft like you are with Kim. You wouldn't want everyone to know that you were down at the store the other day buying tampons and chocolate would you."_

"_Alright , alright you win. Let just get this shift over."_

The rest of the shift was mostly silent.

When we were done I ran home and climbed back into bed, setting the alarm next to me for the first time since I got the fucking thing. And drifted to sleep.

_Beep, beep, beep._

Opening my eyes I reached over to turn the alarm off, but couldn't figure out how so I just pulled the damn cord out of the wall. And went in to take a shower.

Getting dressed in a pair of cutoffs and my flip flops, I headed out the door and over the two streets to Bella's house. Swinging the door open, I heard some of the guys in the living room, but what caught my notice was the noise coming from the kitchen. Making my way to the entrance, I saw Bella standing at the counter cutting something up.

"Need any help?" I asked her. When she jumped the knife went through what she was cutting and sliced her palm. Nice going ass.

"Fuck, shit that hurt. Oh god I'm sorry." She walked over to the drawer next to the sink and pulled out a towel and wrapping it.

"Shit I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you, hold on." I said walking over to her, and pulling her by her wrist to the sink. I turned on the cold water, putting her hand under it and cleaning away the blood. It didn't look deep.

"It doesn't look bad. I don't think you need stitches. Do you have a first aid kit anywhere?" I asked.

When she told me where it was I went and grabbed it really quick, came back downstairs, pulled out the peroxide, Neosporin and an larger band aid.

"This may sting a little", I said to her, while pouring a little on. I noticed her flinch a bit so I started blowing on it. I remember when mom used to do it for me when I was little. I put a little Neosporin on it and the band aid, and put her hand down.

"I think you'll be ok." I said.

"Yeah, thanks." She said turning around and working on something else.

"So was there something you needed Paul?"

"No, Just wanted to come over and see how you were holding up. Can I help you with anything?"

"Well I'm holding up pretty good, and if you want to help you can grab that knife there and start cutting the tops off of the peppers. I'd do it but I think one knife injury tonight is enough" She said giggling. Lighting up her face.

"Sure. I'd be happy to help." I said walking over to where she was before. I grabbed one of the peppers and started cutting the top off.

"You know, your not like I thought you'd be." I got a little worried when she said this.

"Why do you say that?" I asked.

"Its just, when we were younger, you were always so mean to me."

"I was mean to you? I don't remember ever seeing you before."

"Yeah I think it was like 3rd grade or something. Yeah I was 9. You were in 5th grade at the time, I was walking down the hall with Jacob and you tripped me, and kept walking. I think you were even laughing. You used to do things like that to me and Jake all the time." Oh shit.

"That was you? Wow, you have changed a lot." And she had. She looks nothing like she did back in elementary school.

"I did a lot of things I'm not proud of, and I'm sorry if I ever hurt your feelings or anything."

"I didn't need an apology or anything Paul. But I do forgive you. Its all in the past."

"How do you do it?" I asked. She seemed to amaze me more every second.

"Do what?"

"Be so forgiving."

"We are all full of weakness and errors; let us mutually pardon each other our follies."

"Wow, where'd you hear that from?" I couldn't help but ask. The few times I've talked to her she seemed so much knowledge, and old soul I guess you can say.

"Voltaire…. Sometimes its just easier to forgive, than it is to hold on to it. There are a lot of people who do a lot of stupid things, but if we hold onto all that anger and don't forgive, then one day it bubbles up and boils over. And the anger consumes you. I don't want to be like that."

I just stood there sucking it all in. She doesn't know how much of that was me. I was consumed in anger. My mother, my dad, my step dad. I stood there sucking all that was Bella in.

"You alright over there?"

"I am, Thank you."

"No problem, now get your ass over there and finish with the peppers, before I change my mind and hold a grudge. We have a pack of hungry oversized wolves coming over in a little while. Get to it." And I started laughing.

Conversation flowed, between us easily, and I couldn't help but feel comfort in her presence. In a sense I even felt security.

Everyone showed up at around the same time, the food was gone by the end of dinner, the kitchen was cleaned, and the guys headed into the living room to finish watching whatever game was on.

"Bella?" I asked when all the guys were out of the kitchen.

"Yeah?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to maybe hang out or something tomorrow?"

"Uh, it depends on what you want to do."

"I can come over around noon if you want, maybe we can watch a few movies or something."

"Um…sure, I guess we can do that." She said. Internally I was jumping up and down.

"Alright, Well I'm going to go finish watching the game with Charlie. You coming in?"

"Yeah I'll be in, in a few."

I turned and walked back into the living room, sat down on the couch and pretended to watch what was left of the game. My mind drifted completely. It was so easy being around Bella. It seemed as if the conversation we had flowed easily, and when it was quiet, it was in no way uncomfortable. It was definitely something that I could get used

to.

"Paul?"

"Paul, man, come on its time to go."

I looked up to see who snapped me out of it this time….ah Seth. Wait. Time to go. Looking around I noticed the game was over, and everyone was heading for the front door.

Bella stood and walked over to Jake, Quil, and Embry, and gave them all a quick hug, then she turned and walked to me. She lightly wrapped her arms around me, and I returned the hug back. Standing there in her arms there was only a couple of things I could think of. Peace. Hope. Home.

"I'll see you tomorrow Bella." I whispered in her ear.

"Yeah, see you tomorrow, Paul." She said, and I turned and walked out of the house.

I went home, and did what I did every night, fell into bed and closed my eyes.

Slowly opening my eyes, I started reflecting on last night. The dreams came. They always come. But they didn't seem to effect me this morning, the same that they usually do. Rolling over to check the time….ah fuck, I forgot to plug it back in.

I climbed out of bed, threw on some jogging shorts and ran downstairs. The house was surprisingly quiet today, and I had about and hour or so, before I was going over to Bella's house.

I went to my stereo and put some music on, went into the kitchen and started cleaning up. Huh, if only the guys can see me now. Poor Emily and Kim might have more free time this weekend. There always coming over with the younger guys in tow to clean up this place.

Checking the clock, it was 11:45 so I ran upstairs and grabbed a plain white tank from the basket, reminding myself that I have to thank Emily for doing my laundry, slid it over my head, ran down stairs, out the door and continued in the direction to Bella's house.

When I walked into the house, I heard Bella in the kitchen again, so instead of sneaking up on her like I did yesterday, I called out from the front door.

"Bella, I'm here"

"I'm in the kitchen Paul."

Walking in I saw her pouring chips into a large bowl.

"What are you up too."

"Getting a few snacks together."

"Need any help with anything?" I asked.

"You can grab a few sodas from the fridge."

I walked over to the fridge, pulled a few sodas out and put them on the counter.

"Anything else."

She turned around, and grinned.

"What?" I asked

"You own shirts?" she said, and I laughed.

"Sure do, its just easier without them. When we phase its one less thing we have to worry about." I said.

"Will you let me see that?" she asked, confusing me.

"See what?"

"You in your wolf form. I'd like to see it sometimes."

There she goes surprising the hell out of me again.

"You want to see that?" I asked

"Yeah , I mean, you don't have to show me if you don't want to, I just find it kind of fascinating."

"No, I'll show you, just not today. I'll show you another time." I said with a smile on my face.

"I'll hold you to that Mr. Meraz." She replied with a smirk, and I smiled back.

"Well I think we have everything for the movie. Why don't we go in the living room and get it started." She said.

"Alright lets go." I grabbed the sodas off the counter, and the containers of dip, while she grabbed the bowl of chips and the large package of chocolate chip cookies, and we made our way into the living room.

I went over and pressed play on the DVD player, and sat down on the other end of the couch that Bella was sitting on. It was quiet for a few minutes. But the sad part is I cant tell you what movie was playing. I had so many question. I wanted to get to know her.

"Bella, how about we play a game." I said breaking the silence.

"What game?"

"How about 20 questions?" I said hoping she'd agree.

"How about 10 questions." she stated.

"Sounds good to me. I'll go first. What's your favorite color?"

"Out of all the questions you could ask, you ask what my favorite color is?" she said smiling.

"I figured it was an easy one… kind of an ice breaker question."

"O.K …hmm, green….You?"

"Blue….What's your favorite pizza topping." I asked

"Extra cheese and mushrooms…and you?"

"Supreme."

"Paul?" she asked right after I game my answer.

"Yeah Bella?" I asked getting a little nervous.

"Will you tell me a little more about you? I know were playing this game and all, but this is all trivial stuff. I'd like to know a little more about my new friend." This threw me a little off. I didn't know what to tell her. What she wanted to know. I guess asking is the best way to find out.

"What about? What would you like to know?" I said.

"Anything, everything."

"Bella I didn't exactly have a normal upbringing…" I began to tell her.

" It's alright Paul. I'm good at listening. I can tell you didn't have it easy. I can see it in your eyes. For some reason I can feel the pain your harboring. I'll even tell you what you told me. You can talk to me Paul. I wont judge you."

How much of myself can I tell her without making her run off? She's a little more observant than I thought.

"I guess I'll start at the beginning. My mom was really happy. We were happy. My dad was some top executive for some company out in Port Angeles somewhere. We had it good. It was easy. I remember dad taking me the game one time out in Seattle. I don't think I've ever had that much fun. Just me and him." I said drifting off.

"I was at school one day, and the teacher got a call from the office, to have me sent down. When I got there, mom was there, her face was swollen from crying. She grabbed me and hugged me to her so tight I couldn't breath. She….She told me that dad was in an accident. That he didn't make it. I remember it was really cold. We had a pretty decent ice storm the night before. Mom tried talking dad into staying home. Why didn't he just listen?" I said. The tears were coming and my voice was breaking as I was talking.

"About a year after dad died, we were getting better. Things were getting better. Mom was going out more. She met this guy." I said growling. "She really like him. And he was good to her for a little while. He treated me like his own. Then he started drinking. And he became angry. He was angry all the time."

I looked over to Bella to make sure she was taking this ok. She had silent tears running down her face. Without thinking I reached over and wiped one away, and she gave me a small sad smile.

"He started hitting us. Mom got it worse. But there were a few times that I jumped in to try and help her, that ended with me in the emergency room with a broken leg or arm. I fucking hated him. One time I was home from school sick. He came home from work early, and when he saw me there he freaked out. Said he didn't want to see me in the house when he got home. That he deserved a little quiet time. Mom got smacked around a little and she sent me outside so he didn't come after me. I went to Jared's house. He became my best friend. My rock I guess you can say. Its funny because we may beat the fuck out of each other now and then, and we sure as hell get on each others nerves, but we know were always there for each other."

"When I went home that night, I was 14 at the time. Jack, that was my step dads name. Anyways Jack said mom left to go to the store. That she would be back in a few. I went upstairs to get away from him, and waited for mom. Minutes turned into about 2 hours. I came downstairs when I heard a knock at the door. Jack went an answered it, and there was a police officer there. He said that mom got into an accident, and she was at the hospital. After the cop gave him all the information and left the ass hole went back into the living room and sat down with his beer in hand. I asked him to take me to the hospital to see her. He told me 'you'd better find your own way there, the game just started.'

"I couldn't believe this man. My mother was in the hospital dying, and he didn't want to miss the game. I grabbed my shoes and ran down to Jared's house and told them what was going on. Jared's mom put me in the car and she took me. By the time I got there, it was too late. She was already gone. And I knew I couldn't go home. I wouldn't go back to that place."

"Jared's mom let me move in with them, and a couple years ago Jack died from severe alcohol poisoning." I said trying to rush it out.

I sat for a few minutes composing myself, and then turned to look at Bella. Before I could face her fully, she threw her arms around me. Hanging on.

"Its okay Paul." she said

"Yeah…. It is." I said giving her a small smile.

She unwrapped her arms from around my neck, and I got a chance to look at the clock. It was almost 4 and the guys would be here in about an hour for dinner.

"Bella, its almost 4, the guys will be here soon. Do you want to make dinner together, I said standing up."

"How about we just order pizza tonight." She said.

"Sounds good to me." I said walking towards the phone.

I was stopped by Bella's hand on my upper arm.

"Paul?"

"Yeah Bella?" Her hand was still on my arm rubbing up and down.

"Confront the dark parts of yourself, and work to banish them with illumination and forgiveness. Your willingness to wrestle with your demons will cause your angels to sing. Use the pain as fuel, as a reminder of your strength."

I smiled

"Where did you hear that one?" I asked

"August Wilson." she said and I giggled.

"Ah Bella, Bella, Bella….I think we can help each other, more than we know." I said picking up the phone.

She dropped her hand, turned and walked towards the kitchen.

"I think your right." I heard her whisper to herself.

**Review if you'd like….**


	9. Chapter 9

**Stephanie owns it, I just like to play with the characters. Thanks for all the reviews.**

**BELLA POV**

"_You know why I'm doing this right Bella?" He said hovering over me._

"_Please. Stop."_

"_Uh-Uh Bella. Now answer me. I asked if you new why I was doing this."_

"_No. I thought you loved me."_

"_Love you. Psh. I'll ask another question to give you a little hint. Who do you miss most in life."_

"_Why are you doing this to me?"_

"_Now if I told you then the game we're playing won't be any fun." _

"_Now I'll give you a little hint." He said leaning over and licking one of the cuts he made on my stomach._

"_Ah …so good. Don't worry Bella. I'm not going to kill you. That would be to easy."_

"_Please."_

"_You miss home don't you Bella? You miss the dogs?" He whispered in my ears. _

"_How would daddy feel knowing his little girl was with one of us?" He said dragging the blade again down my stomach._

"_See they took something away from me. Something I'll never get back."_

"_I don't know what your talking about. Please."_

"_Shut the fuck up." He said backhanding me again. But not hard enough to knock me out. _

"_Daddy's an elder of the tribe now, isn't he?"_

"_Ye..yes" I said shaking and sobbing. _

"_And daddy loves his little girl doesn't he?"_

"_Y….yes….please, it hurts."_

"_See daddy made some choices a few months ago…. And imagine my surprise when his beloved daughter was here in Arizona, right under my nose." He said licking up the side of my face._

"_I wont kill you though… I want him to know who did this." He said slapping me one more time. Then the darkness came._

My eyes opened and I shot up. Panting, and trying to catch my breath. Climbing out of bed , I walked to the bathroom opened the cabinet and grabbed a few Motrin and a glass of water. My head was pounding.

Last night was an emotional night for dad and me. I'm glad I was able to make it through that much without shutting down. 'Progress" I said to myself. Walking into my bedroom and glancing at the clock it was a little after 10. Dad was at the station today, and Paul would be coming in a couple hours so I figured I'd get some laundry done.

By the time most of the laundry was caught up, and I'm kind of thinking that a lot of the boys' clothes were in there too because of the massive amount of cut offs, I glanced at the clock. 11:50. Paul will be here in about 10 minutes. I walked into the kitchen, grabbed the cookies, and the chips. Getting my serving bowl from under one of the other cabinets by the stove I began pouring some of the chips in the bowl.

"Bella, I'm here" I heard coming from the front door.

"I'm in the kitchen Paul."

"What are you up too." He said to me.

"Getting a few snacks together."

"Need any help with anything?" I asked.

"You can grab a few sodas from the fridge." I told him.

I heard the fridge open and then a few seconds later, I heard the sounds of cans being set on the counter.

"Anything else." He said.

I finished what I was doing with the chips and turned around and couldn't help but grin. Paul. Wearing. Shirt.

"What?"

"You own shirts?" I said. And he started laughing. Laughing. It sounded really nice coming from him.

"Sure do, its just easier without them. When we phase its one less thing we have to worry about." When he said that I instantly got an idea.

"Will you let me see that?"

"See what?" He said confusion in his voice.

"You in your wolf form. I'd like to see it sometimes."

"You want to see that?" I guess no one's ever asked him that before.

"Yeah , I mean, you don't have to show me if you don't want to, I just find it kind of fascinating."

"No, I'll show you, just not today. I'll show you another time." He said with a smile on his face.

"I'll hold you to that Mr. Meraz." I said smirking.

"Well I think we have everything for the movie. Why don't we go in the living room and get it started." I told him.

"Alright lets go." He said grabbing the sodas and the containers of dip.

I grabbed the chips and cookies and headed into the living room. Him following behind. I Put the food on the table and sat down at the end of the couch. He moved to the DVD player and pressed start, than sat at the other end.

It was quiet for a few minutes. I don't know what movie was in, I hadn't been watching it.

"Bella, how about we play a game." Ugh thank god.

"What game?" I asked

"How about 20 questions?" He said. I just looked at him for a few seconds. Can I trust him enough not to ask to many questions that brought out to many memories. Yeah…for some reason I can. I do. But 20 is too many.

"How about 10 questions." I said.

"Sounds good to me. I'll go first. What's your favorite color?" he said ,

"Out of all the questions you could ask, you ask what my favorite color is?" I couldn't help smiling at this. But I was internally thanking him for making it light.

"I figured it was an easy one… kind of an ice breaker question."

"O.K …hmm, green….You?"

"Blue….What's your favorite pizza topping." He asked. ….Oh that's an easy one.

"Extra cheese and mushrooms…and you?"

"Supreme."

These questions were all nice an everything, but I kind of just wanted to talk.

"Paul?"

"Yeah Bella?" .

"Will you tell me a little more about you? I know were playing this game and all, but this is all trivial stuff. I'd like to know a little more about my new friend." He looked at me for a minute than looked down at his hands.

"What about? What would you like to know?" He said. Funny thing was his expression mirrored mine most of the time. That internal battle expression.

"Anything, everything."

"Bella I didn't exactly have a normal upbringing…" He started, but I had to cut him off.

" It's alright Paul. I'm good at listening. I can tell you didn't have it easy. I can see it in your eyes. For some reason I can feel the pain your harboring. I'll even tell you what you told me. You can talk to me Paul. I wont judge you."

He sat there for a few more minutes, have what I assumed was an internal debate and then he began talking.

He told me about his mother. His father. His prick of a step father. His friendship with Jared. I saw the sadness. I saw the anger. I saw him.

When he looked at me in the middle of his story, I had already been crying. I wanted him to get through this though. He reached over and wiped a traitor tear away, I smiled at him, and he began telling me more.

By the end of the story I was a wreck but Paul was worst. He looked up at me again , and I didn't think about what I did next. I threw my arms around him. And held to him as tight as I could. When I felt his arms wrap around me I knew. I knew he was going to be ok.

"Its okay Paul." I whispered in his ear.

"Yeah…. It is." Smiling back at me.

I unwrapped my arms from around his neck, and sat there for a few minutes, letting everything soak in. I don't know what it is about this man. I ache when he aches. I feel his pain. When he was telling his story. The anger and sadness that he felt, I felt.

"Bella, its almost 4, the guys will be here soon. Do you want to make dinner together" He said standing up, and effectively pulling out of my stoop.

One problem though. I was in no mood to cook right now. Think Bella. Think.

Ah-ha

"How about we just order pizza tonight." I said.

"Sounds good to me." He said, walking towards the phone.

I grabbed his arm to stop him. I wanted to tell him before I forgot.

"Paul?"

"Yeah Bella?" He said, and I started rubbing his arm.

"Confront the dark parts of yourself, and work to banish them with illumination and forgiveness. Your willingness to wrestle with your demons will cause your angels to sing. Use the pain as fuel, as a reminder of your strength."

Ah there's that smile.

"Where'd you hear that one?" He asked

"August Wilson." I said. And then he started chuckling again.

"Ah Bella, Bella, Bella….I think we can help each other, more than we know."

I dropped my hand , turned and started towards the kitchen.

"I think your right." I whispered to myself. If only he knew.

While Paul was ordering the pizza, I started putting away all the things that I had pulled out for dinner. The guys all started showing up about an hour later. When the pizza showed up they were all jumping up and down sporting cheesy smiles. After a round of arguing from Paul and I, we decided to go in halves for the pies. During dinner I got the chance to look around and everyone was in there own little worlds. Talking, playing games, or just 'hanging out'.

2 hours and 15 pizza's later everyone was saying there goodnights. Paul was the last to leave, but that sad part was I didn't want him to. Walking up to him and giving him a quick hug I whispered in his ear.

"Do you want to go out to the cliffs tomorrow?" I don't know where all this bravery was coming from, but I knew I could trust him.

"Sure how about I come get you at around 3." He said.

"Sounds good. I'll make something for us for dinner, and we can just eat it up there."

"K. I'll see you tomorrow Bella."

"See you."

And he turned and walked out the door.

Shutting the door behind him, I leaned against it and closed my eyes.

"Everything o.k Bells?"

"Yeah dad, Everything's o.k." I said with a smile on my face, heading for the stairs.

**Please review…. **


	10. Chapter 10

**Stephanie owns the characters, I play with them…. Will let you know, that this is was the hardest one yet. I hope I did it justice. Enjoy….**

Paul POV

I didn't know that I was going to come out and tell Bella my story today. But after I did, I felt a huge weight lifted. And I thanked her for that.

When all the guys got here they were a little upset, but when Bella told them that we ordered pizza for everyone, she became all of there new best friend. We argued a little because she wanted to pay for the bill, but if one thing I know I am for sure, it is stubborn. So we ended up compromising and splitting it. I couldn't help but watch her while everyone was eating. She seemed in a way content. She watched what everyone was doing. Focused on what was going on around her. But I still saw what lay underneath.

There was still hurt there. Fear. When anyone brushed up against her, she flinched or cringed away. I don't even think she noticed that she was doing it. Charlie took me aside earlier and told me that she did open up a little last night. I told him that I didn't want to know what she said. That I wanted her to feel comfortable enough around me to tell me herself. But I did ask him if it was bad. And he told me that what she told him last night no one should endure. I just hope that one day, hopefully sooner than later, she'll trust me enough to tell me.

About 2 hours after everyone finished of the food, everyone started shoveling out.

"Hey dinner's going to be at my house tomorrow. Emily wants to give Bella a brake for a few days. Kim's going to come by and help out." Sam said walking past me.

"Alright, I'll see you then."

Just then Bella walked up to me and pulled me in for a hug.

"Do you want to go out to the cliffs tomorrow?" She whispered in my ear.

"Sure how about I come get you at around 3." I said.

"Sounds good. I'll make something for us for dinner, and we can just eat it up there."

"K. I'll see you tomorrow Bella."

"See you."

She closed the door, and I leaned against it and closed my eyes.

"Everything o.k Bells?" I heard coming from behind the door.

"Yeah dad, Everything o.k." I could here the smile in her voice.

I started walking home, slower than I usually did. When I got there I heard my stereo going. Opening the door, I saw Seth, and Jared sitting on the couch.

"Fuck don't you guys have homes?"

"Leigh's pms'ing, and I'm sure as hell not going to sit around my house. Shit, she's already a bitch, and adding the wolf temper and the pms'ing…..uh-uh…I'm staying here for a little while. I'm going to take one of the spare rooms upstairs." Seth said.

"Sure, Sure… no problem bro. What about you Jared?"

"I just didn't feel like going home. I think I'm going to crash on your couch."

"K. Hey J. would you tell Sam for me that I'm not going to make it over for dinner when you get there tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I can do that. Where you going though?" He asked. I walked over to the other end of the couch, pulled Seth up and sat down in his spot.

"Uh. Bella wanted to go out to the cliffs."

"That's cool. How's she doing anyways?" Jared said. Seth perked up when we started talking about Bella. I guess she's effecting more off us than I thought.

"She seems to be doing ok on the outside. But I don't know man. I can feel it there. She's hurting. I'm giving her, her space. I just don't want to push her. She's strong though." I said rubbing the back of my neck.

"How are you holding up?" He asked.

"We talked a quite a bit today. I told her about my past. She didn't judge me, didn't ask questions. She just kind of let me go. Just listened. It was real nice. I feel lighter sort of."

"I'm proud of you man. Its good she can get you to open up. No one else ever has. Are you going to tell her about the imprint? "

"No, not right now. There's too much going on in both of our heads to add too it. I cant handle her taking off if she hears that she's was meant for me. That she's supposed to stay with me."

"I hear you man. If you need help when it comes time or anything, I'm sure Kim can sit with her or whatever. She told me that she'd like to get to know her better."

"Yeah, thanks I'll think about it."

"Do you think you can ask Bella tomorrow if she wants to come over on Saturday for the twins birthday party? I don't think anyone's mentioned it. I know they want her to come. They haven't shut up about her since she came back." Seth said.

"Sure man, I'll ask. Hey, I'm going to head up to bed. I'll catch up to you guys some time tomorrow." I said standing up and heading towards the stairs.

"Nite Paul." I heard them both say behind me.

"Nite."

When I got to the top of the stairs I went into my room, grabbed a pair of jogging shorts. I made my way into the bathroom setting the shower on the hottest it will go. Climbing in, I laid my head against the back wall and closed my eyes. Images of Bella were flashing. Her smiling, her laughing.

"I hope tomorrow goes as good as it did today." I said to myself climbing out and drying off.

I slipped my shorts on. Walked out of the bathroom, into my room, and climbed into bed. Waiting for the dream. Waiting for my hell.

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"Bella? You almost ready?" I said walking through the door.

"Yeah, can you grab the backpack and basket by the door?" She said. The voice coming from upstairs.

I grabbed the bag and basket and waited for her to make an appearance. When she started down I couldn't help but take her in. Her long chestnut hair was combed out and fanned down her back to her waist. She was slim, but had curves in all the right areas, which were defined by the pair of skinny jeans, and yellow tank she was wearing. She was mezmorizing.

"You okay there?" She said waving her hand in front of my face.

Looking up I saw the corner of her mouth lift a little. Ah…playing me at my own game. She caught me.

"Yeah, I'm good. You ready to go?"

"Just let me get my sweater." She walked into the kitchen and returned a few seconds later.

"Our cliff right?" I asked before I got a chance to think about what I was saying. I'll slap myself later for that one.

"Yeah, our cliff." She said with a smile on her face. We turned and started walking.

"Don't you want to drive up?" I asked when I noticed her walking past the truck.

"I thought we'd walk. Its warm today." She said as we continued.

The walk really wasn't that long and she only almost fell twice. Thank you god that I'm quick.

Making it to the cliff, Bella grabbed her bag and pulled out a blanket, laying it close to the edge, and sat down. Standing behind her I got a glimpse of something under the strap of her tank top.

"Bella? Do you have a tattoo?" I asked.

"Yeah, Why do you ask?

"I see a little of it under one of the straps. What is it of?"

"A phoenix." She said.

"Why a phoenix?"

"The phoenix arises itself from its own ashes. It represents a new beginning. No mater how bad things may get, you will rise out of the ashes, you will pull through."

I had a feeling the tattoo she had , symbolizes everything there is about her. What she's been through. Who she is.

"Can I see it." I asked her.

"Maybe some other time. I'll make a deal with you. They day you show me you in wolf form, I'll show you my tattoo." She said with a smile.

I giggled a little when she said that. I guess she wasn't going to let me forget my promise to show her the dog side of me.

I walked up beside her and sat down next to her , looking out over the water. Sucking it in.

"Its so easy to be around you." She said looking out over the water. I smiled, but stayed quiet. I was hoping she would open up a little more. But hell, I'd take what I could get even if it was just silence.

"Its so peaceful here. The wind carries all your worries, all the pain, all the lies away. Even if it is only for a short while."

"I've always thought that too. When I sit up here I feel at ease. Nothing can touch me." I said and out of the corner of my eye I saw her flinch. It stayed quiet for a few more minutes.

Taking my chances and stealing another glance, I saw a tear roll down her face. I moved a little closer to her and wiped the tear away with my finger again, and she rested her head on my arm.

"How do you make the pain go away?" She said, her voice cracking.

"It helps to talk about it."

"I don't like remembering. I told Charlie some of it the other night, and while I was talking I saw myself there. I could feel it all over again."

I started rubbing my hand up and down her back, trying to ease a little of the pain.

"I don't want to feel."

"I know, It'll be ok." I didn't know what to say to her. I never dealt with anything like this. How could I help?……..

"I didn't want to go that night. Dinner yeah, I wouldn't have cared, but mom said it would be ok and he said that we were just going to hang out at the hotel, away from home, so that mom wouldn't be around."

"I knew something wasn't right. I had a feeling, but I went against it. I told myself that he loved me, and he wouldn't do anything I didn't want to do. What a fucking joke that was."

I started shaking.. Not enough to phase, but enough to know that I was starting to get upset. And it was upsetting. She's been through a lot. Someone hurt her. But I pushed away that anger for her. I had to be strong for her.

"He took me to the warehouse. I told him it wasn't a good idea, and that we should just go to dinner, but he said that everything would be ok. When I tried pulling back, he grabbed harder and pulled me in. He slapped me around a little, chained me to a bed and told me that there was a certain amount of pleasure that came from pain. That I would enjoy it. He said he was tired of me playing the innocent one. H…He ripped my shirt off of me and start slicing me with something he picked up off the floor. He said he was pl…play…playing a game with me. That he wasn't going to kill me. It would be to easy, he said."

Come on Paul pull yourself together man, calm down. I was chanting to myself. If I ever ran across this fuck I swear I'm going to do everything to him that he did to her. Looking down at her I noticed she was rubbing her hip. Still lost in thought.

"He smacked me around a little more, and I finally blacked out. When I woke up, my arms weren't chained anymore, and I didn't see him, but laying next to me was a note that said that if I ran he'd find me. I'd suffer more. I laid there for a few more minutes, but I knew I had to make a run for it. I had to try to get out of there. My mind was telling me either way I was going to suffer. The least I could do was try to get out of there."

"I climbed out of the bed and went over to the door. I saw that his car was still parked where he left it, but I still didn't see him anywhere. I didn't know if he took the keys, but it didn't matter anyways. Mom taught me to hotwire a car. She had to do it once when she lost her keys in the mall." She said with a small chuckle, probably lost in the memory of her moms many talents.

"I almost made it to the car. I was almost there. Arms reach. I felt a blow to my right leg, I could here the bone crunch. And I fell to the ground. He grabbed me by my hand so hard that I thought he was going to break that too. He kept saying, it was part of the game. He knew I'd try to get out. I made it to easy. He kicked me a few times in my stomach. The last thing I remember before I blacked out was him saying over and over, that it was too easy."

I hugged her to me as tight as I could while she cried. Be strong Paul.

"I woke up in the hospital later that night. The doctors said I had a broken leg, severe lacerations to my stomach and a few cracked ribs. He was there. Mom was there. He told her that we got in a fight at the hotel, I tried running away and tripped, fell down a flight of stairs, and went through a window. Mom, of course being mom, believed him. She left, shortly after that, and told me that I better stick with the story he came up with. He'll know if I didn't. He'd find me. Oh fuck, he's going to find me. What the fuck have I done? Paul I have to get out of here. He's going to find me here. I cant let him come here."

She started hyperventilating. The pain she was showing a few minutes ago, was replaced with fear. I was going to get that fucker. I started shaking her…

"Bella? Bella hunny you need to calm down… breathe….its ok…calm down?" I said to her.

"He cant come here Paul." She said again.

"He's not Bella. Your safe here. No ones going to hurt you. You hear me. I promise you. I wont let anything happen to you." I said pulling her tight to me again.

She cried for a while, and when her breathing evened out I realized she had fallen asleep. She seemed so relaxed. And simply looking at her began to calm me. But I knew It was getting kind of late.

"Bella…Bella come on wake up hun." I whispered into her ear.

She slowly started to wake, looking up at me she bolted straight up.

"I'm so sorry Paul…I shouldn't have unloaded all of that on you. You must hate me. I swear sometimes I cant learn to shut the fuck up."

"Bella….Bella….Bella shut up for a second." I said smiling, while she was still going off.

She looked up at me… stunned.

"Sorry." She said again. And it was starting to piss me off.

I gently grabbed her shoulders to turn her to look at me.

"Bella look at me." I tried. She didn't look up.

"Please Bella, just look at me." She slowly raised her eyes to meet mine.

"First of all, stop saying your sorry. None of this is your fault. None of it you hear me. Second, thank you for telling me. I'm not going anywhere, and I don't hate you."

"If anything, I have more respect for you. Your still here. Still trying to be strong."

"Thank you." She said to me, with a hint of a smile.

"Now did you want to go back to the house?" I asked her.

"No, I mean we can if you want to."

"Bella, what do you want to do?" I asked.

"I think I'd like to stay."

"You think?" I asked again. I wanted to make sure she knew she had the choice. It was up to her.

"I'd like to stay. Can you grab the basked. I'm getting kind of hungry." She said.

"That's better." I stood up, went and retrieved the basked, and then sat back down next to her.

As we ate conversation flowed smoothly again. Her earlier mood forgotten. She decided that she wanted to go to the birthday part on Saturday. And she was thinking about asking Leah, Emily and Kim to go shopping with her on Sunday in Port Angeles. I was happy she was starting to warm up to everyone.

In no time at all it seemed the stars were out, and Bella and I were laying on the blanket side by side gazing at them. A few minutes later we caught sight of a shooting star.

"Paul did you see that?" She said excitedly.

"Yeah I did."

"Did you make a wish?" She said. She was so carefree right now.

"Yeah…did you?"

"Of course." She replied.

"What did you wish for?" I asked.

"I cant tell you that. If I tell you it wont come true."

"Ahhh," I said.

"Alright I think its time to get this packed up and get home before we have a search party out for us." She said a few minutes later.

"Yeah I think your right."

So we packed everything up and headed back to Bella's place. The house was quiet when we got there. Everyone was probably still over at Sam's. I walked into the kitchen and put the bag and basket on the table and headed back out to the living room, in the direction she went.

"Paul?"

"Yeah?"

"You want to stay for a little while? We can watch a movie or something."

I wouldn't turn down any chance I got to hang out with her.

"Sure."

She walked over to the entertainment center, put a movie on and sat on the middle of the couch.

"Come on." She said patting the cushion beside her.

I walked over and sat next to her, and she put her head on my arm like she did earlier on the cliffs.

"Thank you." She said.

"Anytime hun."

A few minutes later her breathing because even, but I didn't want to wake her up again. She had a hard enough day. Shifting her and grabbing one of the throw pillows, that we deposited on the floor when we sat down, I laid it in my lap and brought her down to rest more comfortably.

I used a word once to describe what she looked to me. Angelic. It applied even more now looking down at her. She had a smile on her face, and she started mumbling words. Nothing obvious. Until I caught the one phrase that I've been saying to myself the last few nights. "Saving me."

I smiled, and let my head fall back against the couch, closing my eyes. She asked me tonight to make a wish on the shooting star.

It was already coming true.

**Review if you'd like…**


	11. Chapter 11

**Twilight and all the characters belong to Stephanie. I like to play with them. I decided to lighten things up a bit. Enjoy…..**

BELLA'S POV

I didn't intend to tell Paul what was going on in the inner workings of my head. When I was sitting on the cliffs, I felt what he said. "I feel at ease. Nothing can touch me."

That one statement. Just that one, made me realize that he was right. Nothing can touch me here. So I opened my mouth, and poured my heart out. I couldn't stop. I trusted him. Just as he trusted me enough to tell me about his past.

I didn't go into detail about anything. I couldn't. I needed to protect them. All of them. My dad, my new friends. My old friends….my family. If they knew everything, opinions of me would change quickly. I wasn't scared that I would run. No. I was scared they would all push me away.

I know I haven't known any of them that long, but I already see them as family. Paul had officially taken up the roll as my new best friend. I didn't really understand the connection that I had with him, but I welcomed it. Just seeing him, being around him, relaxed me. Being out here with him tonight, minus the blast from the past, was one of the best nights of my life.

It was hard to become comfortable around anyone. Jake, Quil, and Embry were home, familiar, so it was natural that they didn't really affect me that much, unless one of them snuck up on me of course.

But with Paul it was different. I knew he was there. I could sense his presence. When he said he wasn't going anywhere, I knew he wasn't lying. But I didn't want to take the chance, of him changing his mind, if he knew the details.

Walking back to the house together, I really didn't want him to leave.

"Paul?" I said when he came back out from the kitchen.

"Yeah?"

"You want to stay for a little while? We can watch a movie or something."

"Sure."

I turned and walked to the entertainment center and put a movie in. Walking over to the couch I hesitated for just a second, sitting in the middle hoping that he would sit next to me. He hesitated, looking in my face. I'm assuming to make sure I was comfortable with it.

"Come on." I said patting the couch.

When he finally came over and sat beside me, I took my chances and laid my head on his shoulder. He didn't seem to mind me doing it out on the cliffs.

"Thank you." I said. And I wasn't just thanking him for being my personal pillow. I was thanking him for being there. For listening. For not judging, even though I know he said he wouldn't, and I knew in the back of my mind that he wouldn't. For just being him.

"Anytime hun." And I closed my eyes. Sucking in all that was Paul.

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The light shining through my eyelids woke me, letting me know I was not in my room. I had dark curtains that kept out most of the morning light.

But right now it didn't really make a difference to me. I didn't wake up in a cold sweat. I wasn't panicking. In fact I haven't slept that well in over 2 years. Yawning and stretching my limbs, I took notice that I wasn't alone. Snapping my eyes open and looking around, I saw that I was still in my living room. On my couch. And there was an arm resting around my stomach. Taking my chances I looking behind me…..Paul. I replayed last night in my head, groaning slightly, causing Paul to clutch on to me a little tighter.

"Paul?" I tried….No answer.

"Paul…come on, I have to get up." I tried again. Still no answer.

Man this man sleeps like the dead. I started turning my body, so that I was facing him, his arm clutching me even tighter. Leaning over I whispered into his ear.

"Paul if you don't let me up I'm going to end up peeing on you. I really have to go."

His eyes snapped open. And he released his grip on me.

"Ugh , sorry Bella."

I climbed off the couch quickly and ran to the bathroom across the hall. Doing what I had to do, and then brushing my hair out some, when I saw the knots, I made my way back out.

"Paul where'd you go?" I said, when I got to the living room and saw he wasn't there.

"I'm in the kitchen brewing some coffee."

I went into the kitchen and sat at the table, watching Paul maneuver himself around. Looking at the clock on the stove I saw it was a little after 7. I instantly had an idea. I wanted to lighten the mood from the last couple of days. I needed to have some fun.

"You said Collin and Brady's birthday party was tomorrow right?" I asked

"Yeah, but there birthday is today. We just thought it would be easier to have it on Saturday, so everyone could be there."

"Are you doing anything today?" I asked, formulating a plan.

"Nope, why you got any ideas?"

"What time does the boys have to be to school?"

"They usually walk…but they have to be there at 8:15. Why?"

"We're kidnapping them." I said smiling.

"And where are we going, once we spring them?" he said laughing.

"It's a surprise, run into the laundry room and grab a pair of shorts and a t-shirt…hurry up."

He got up and left the kitchen, and I grabbed the pen sitting on the counter next to the sticky note pad, and quickly wrote a note.

Dad,

Going to Seattle for the day. Taking Paul with me. I sprung Collin and Brady out of school and I'm taking them too. Be back later tonight around 10.

Love you,

Bella

Now where can I stick this. It had to be where someone would find it…… Hmmm….

Ah-ha. Walking over to the fridge I stuck the note on it, turned and b-lined my way up to my bedroom. I threw on a pair of shorts and a light blue tank and made my way downstairs to grab my purse and keys.

"Seattle huh?" I heard coming from the doorway. Well at least I know 100% the note will be found.

"Yeah, come on…we have to catch up to them before they get there." I said laughing, and running out the door. Paul hot on my heels.

We both climbed in and headed over to the twins house. We knew they already started walking, but we had to start where they were starting, and hopefully they wont be to close to the school.

Driving a little quicker when we didn't see them anywhere, I stepped on the gas a little more. Stopping at the stop sign, right before we got to the entrance of the school, Paul spotted them.

"Right there. There almost to the parking lot." He said.

I laid on my horn. Both of the boys turned around to see what the commotion was, as I pulled up to them. When they saw me they both smiled and headed over to the passenger side window.

"Hey Bella. Paul." Brady said, nodding at Paul.

"What's going on, is everything o.k?" Collin said a little worry in his tone.

"Nope. Everything's o.k.. Bella's springing you." Paul said, smiling at both of them.

"Huh?" They both said at the same time.

"Just hop in the back boys, I'm stealing you away today."

"Bella your fucking awesome." Collin said jumping up and down, while reaching for the handle to the back door.

"Hey….language." I said

"What….the other guys talk like that all the time."

"Well, your not the other guys, and most of the other guys have a few years on you two. By the way Happy Birthday." I said grinning.

Both of the boys were sitting in the back now Brady behind me, Collin behind Paul, and we headed out of La Push.

"Uh.. Not to say this isn't nice and all, but how are we going to get away with this?" Brady said. Ahh must've been more of the level headed one between the two.

"I'll handle it." Paul said pulling out his cell. We all stayed quiet, while Paul was waiting for someone to pick up.

"Hey Sam…. Yeah everything's good…..yeah……about that, I was calling to see if you can call the school and tell them Brady and Collin wont be in today………Well, Bella's decided to kidnap us all….. Yeah hold on…" He held his phone out to me.

"Sam wants to talk to you." He said, and I grabbed the phone.

"Yeah Sam?"

"Where are you going?" he asked.

"I cant tell you, I have a truck full of super sensitive hearing wolfs and I don't want to ruin the surprise. Can you do me a favor though and just make sure they don't get into trouble for this? Brady's a little worried." I said winking at Brady through my rear view window making him to smile and mouth 'thank you'.

"Yeah I'll make sure they wont get into trouble."

"K thanks Sam. We'll be back around 10. We'll call and let you know when we get back."

"K thanks. Talk to you later." He said

"Bye Sam." And I closed the phone and handed it back to Paul.

"The guys are all going to be pissed when they found out we skipped today." I overheard Collin telling Brady in the backseat.

"Why is that?" I interjected.

"Sam always drills us about going to school, and being on our best behavior to show us as good role models for the tribe." Brady said

"Well, don't worry about it, I wont let them get on your case. You guys didn't do anything anyways. I'm the one who 'kidnapped' you."

"10 points to you Bella, for that." said Collin.

The rest of the two hour drive went quickly with the easy conversation going back and forth. I learned a lot about the boys. They really don't remember there mother, because she died when they were really little. They live with there dad and grandmother. Collin was seeing a girl named Erica at school. Brady wasn't really into the girls right now, he was more interested in making good grades.

They asked if I was planning on going back to school. I graduated this last spring. I told them that I wanted to take some time off for a little while, to figure out what I wanted to do. They told me about how all the guys helped out at Sue's diner, or in Sam and Jake's garage for extra cash. But being wolves, they couldn't get normal jobs.

Stopping at our destination, I turned the truck off.

"We're here." I said

"The zoo?" Paul turning from the window to look at me.

"To start." I said.

The twins were already out of the truck before I got my seat belt off.

"Is this o.k?" I asked the boys, climbing out and walking up behind them.

"We've never been here." Brady said.

We walked through the entrance, Paul on my left, and the boys walking in front of us.

"What do you want to see first?" I asked.

"The wolves." They both said together, causing me and Paul to laugh out.

"Alright lets go."

We walked to the desk to get a guide of the park, found the wolves, and headed in that direction.

"There so friggen small." Collin said running up to the enclosure.

Brady, along with Paul just seemed entranced with them. Studying them.

"That one kind of looks like Jake." Paul said pointing to a brown russet colored one off to the side."

"Alright, well lets get moving, there's somewhere else I want to go today." I said after a few more minutes.

We walked around the park for another 2 hours. Collin liked the cats, and the reptiles. Brady liked the Elephants and monkeys, making a comment about seeing something that a pair of them were doing, in Sam's head dealing with Sam and Emily, which caused everyone to start laughing.

When we got back to the truck it was decided that we would just get subs for lunch and they would eat them in the car, on the way to my next surprise. So we headed for the closest sub shop.

While the guys were in the shop, I went to the banks atm next door and withdrew some money, grabbed 2 bank envelopes from the slot. Put some money in both, turned and walked back to the truck, where the guys were waiting for me.

"The fair. Are you serious?" Brady said, as we pulled up to the fairgrounds.

"As a heart attack." I replied.

But before they had a chance to jump out of the truck this time, I hit the auto lock button.

Turning in my seat I handed each one of them an envelope.

"This is for you. Its from dad and me. Happy Birthday." I said

"There's $150 in here Bella." Collin said.

"And….."

"Why are you giving us this much money?" Brady said.

"In case you haven't noticed, we're at the fair. I want you guys to have fun. Spend it on what you'd like. Ride rides, play games. Whatever." I said.

Collin leaned forward and pulled me into a hug. Which was a little awkward being that I was still technically in the front.

"Thank you Be." He said.

"Be?"

"Well yeah, Embry and Jake call you Bells, Quil calls you Belly, I'm going to call you Be." He said and I giggled at his logic.

"Oh… o.k. Well lets get going." And I hit the auto lock button again to let everyone out.

After we made it inside, and I laid down some ground rules, you know the whole stay together, and try not to spend all your money in one spot type rules, we decided to start with a couple rides. After the rides, Collin and Brady wanted to go to the arcade, so while they were there Paul and I went to go grab some funnel cake.

"Are you having fun Paul."

"Yeah, I feel like a kid again. Thanks for letting me come along." He said. He had a smile plastered across his face since we grabbed the boys from school.

"I kind of thought that a little fun would do us both some good, after the past couple of days we've had."

"Yeah, your right. I don't remember the last time I've had so much fun. And the boys don't seem to mind it either." He said, popping a piece of the cake in his mouth.

"Thank you." I said, watching him carefully.

"For what?"

"For spending time with me, you help me forget. Hanging out with you makes it all go away."

"I'm glad I can help." He said. Pulling me in for a hug. I hung on for a moment longer than I normally would, inhaling him, but then he pulled back, and when I looked up he was looking past me to the arcade.

"I think its about time we get going. We don't want to piss anyone off by being late. We're probably going to be in enough trouble when everyone finds out what we did today." He said.

"Yeah, your right.. Lets go."

We grabbed the boys from the game room. Got into the truck and headed out of the parking lot. We stopping at McDonalds quickly to get the guys something to eat, and then headed back home.

The ride was quiet. About an hour into it, I looked back into my rear view and noticed the boys were both asleep. I giggled.

"What's so funny?" Paul said.

"I think we wore them out." I said pointing behind me.

He turned his head and started chuckling.

"You know, no ones ever done anything like that with them before."

"What do you mean?"

"There dad's a hard ass, and there grandmothers too old to do anything to physical with them. Most of the guys are always busy. They pretty much never get out of LaPush."

"Their good kids." I said.

"Yeah they are…." I said looking back in my rear view.

When we pulled up to my house it was a little after 9, Paul and I decided on the way home that we would just have the boys sleep at my place, to avoid to many questions tonight from there dad. We called Sam and asked him, and he agreed that it would probably be a good idea.

He carried Brady in first, while I opened the door for him, and put him on the larger couch that I woke up on this morning. Running to the laundry closet, I pulled out a couple of blankets, and when I came back into the living room, Paul had Collin on the smaller couch against the wall on the opposite side of the room.

I covered them both up, and gave them a quick peck on both of there heads. I don't know where it came from, I just felt like I needed to do it. And turned back to the hall way.

"I had a lot of fun today Paul." I told him.

"Me too… your coming over to there party tomorrow right?" He asked me.

"I wouldn't miss it."

"O.k well I'm going to get going. Its been a pretty long day."

"Yeah I hear you."

I walked up to him again and wrapped my arms around his shoulders.

"Someone needs to tell Jake he's been replaced." I whispered in his ear.

He pulled back a little and looked in my eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"I think I found my new best friend!" I said, and then I leaned over and kissed him on his cheek, feeling that same heat from the first time he touched me, all over again. Pulling away and turning, I made my way to the stairs.

"Goodnight Paul." I said looking back one more time.

"Sweet dreams Bella."

And he turned and walked out the door.

Climbing to the top of the stairs, I grabbed my blue yoga pants and a white tank from my room, and rushed into the bathroom for a quick shower.

When I finished up I climbed out, dried off, got dressed quickly, and made my way back to my room, falling into bed.

Closing my eyes, I began thinking back to the last few days. Things were finally getting better.

Thanks to Paul.

**REVIEW IF YOU'D LIKE…..**


	12. Chapter 12

**Stephanie owns them…. **

PAUL POV.

I haven't had this much fun in…well….never. The last few days, all the anger in my dissipated. And I was just…..happy. Content. Collin and Brady had so much fun today, they were able to be the kids that they are without having to deal with all the werewolf bullshit on the side. They were just kids. I don't know if Bella will ever really know what she did for them, meant to them. Meant to me. Pulling into the driveway, Bella jumped out and ran to the front door to open it while I grabbed Brady from the back. I laid him on the larger couch, and then went to go grab Collin.

Bella came in a few seconds after I got him situated on the smaller couch, and covered them up. She gave them each a small peck on there foreheads. And watching her do that, I had to push the envy away. She turned slowly and started walking back towards me.

"I had a lot of fun today Paul." She said when she finally reached me.

"Me too… your coming over to there party tomorrow right?" I asked.

"I wouldn't miss it."

"O.k well I'm going to get going. Its been a pretty long day." I said to her. I wasn't to used to getting up that early, not that I minded in the least in the way I woke up.

"Yeah I hear you." She said

She walked up to me then and pulled me into a hug.

"Someone needs to tell Jake he's been replaced." she whispered in my ear.

I pulled back away from her a little, and looked into her eyes.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I think I found my new best friend!" She leaned in and kissed me on my cheek, sending a flame through my overheated body. I felt like I grew about 10 feet tall. My heart was soaring. Progress.

To soon she pulled away, turned and headed towards the stairs.

"Goodnight Paul." She said looking over her shoulder to me.

"Sweet dreams Bella." And I turned and walked out the door.

There was no way in hell I could go home right now. I was to excited. Giddy really. So I pulled my shoes and shirt off and laid them on the swing on the corner of the chiefs porch, and headed for the tree line to phase and run some of it off.

"_Hey Paul." I heard in my head._

"_Hey Embry, what's going on?" I asked._

"_Nothing, just like every other night. Sam said Bella kidnapped you guys earlier." _

_And I started replaying the events of the day. The zoo, the fair. Ending with the kiss she gave me on the cheek. _

"_Looks like you two are getting pretty close. Collin and Brady are some lucky fucks. I had a test today I would have loved to get out of."_

_I chuckled. _

"_It was a spare of the minute thing. No lie we woke up this morning, and had to rush around the house to get ourselves together in time to get there to grab the boys. She wanted to do something for their birthday."_

"_Wait…wait, backup… did you just say when you two woke up this morning? Looks like things are a lot better than anyone thought." He said laughing._

"_Its not like that man, we had a long day yesterday, when we got back to her house we put a movie in and fell asleep." I said growling. _

"_What did you do yesterday?" he asked._

_I unintentionally started running through our time out on the cliffs. I hate having to share everything with these dicks sometimes._

"_Fuck we didn't realize it was that bad." he said._

"_Yeah I know. Just do me a favor and don't bring it up. She's getting better man, there's no reason for her to start losing ground. She's getting better. You saw what it was like when we were out today. There wasn't a minute that she didn't have a smile on her face. I won't lose that right now."_

"_Hey, slow down, I didn't say I was going to bring it up. I will say if I ever get my hands on that fucker, he'll pay for every mark he put on her."_

"_I get the first go at him. Whatever is left you can have." I said._

"_Alright change of subject. Are you going to tell her about the imprint?"_

"_Yeah.. I think I am."_

"_When?"_

"_Soon….real soon." I said._

"_Just do me a favor."_

"_What's that?" _

"_Don't hurt her. Hurt her and I'll hurt you."_

"_I cant hurt her." I said phasing back._

"I'm need to talk to you guys later on tomorrow night. You might have to help me with something o.k?" I asked turning to Embry

He shook his head up and down, and I turned, put my shorts back on, and headed home.

Jared and Seth were both passed out on the couch sitting up, probably waiting to drill me. So I walked quietly passed them and up the stairs.

I went into the bathroom, and set the water, took my clothes off and jumped into the shower.

After I was done washing, I climbed out and dried off, wrapped a clean towel around my waist, went into the bedroom and collapsed into bed. Surrendering to sleep instantly.

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"Dude's, get the fuck off me." I said to Jared and Seth who were currently sitting on me.

There's nothing like waking up to two over sized men jumping up and down on you. And on top of that, while Jared had my arms pinned under him., Seth took it upon himself to start plucking my nose and ears.

"And you wonder why I'm a fucking ass most of the time." I said

"What time did you come in last night?" said Seth.

"Sorry dad. I didn't know I had to report. But around 11:30 if you need to know. Now get your asses off of me." I said as I started shoving them off. I sat up straight and turned and set my feet on the floor.

"Where did you end up going yesterday? Sam said Bella sort of kidnapped you guys, but didn't know where you were going." Jared said.

"Yeah, she did. We were sitting in her kitchen, and she just jumped up, asked if I was busy, and when I told her no, she started shoving me in the direction of the laundry room to change. We ran out of the house and caught the boys right before they got to the parking lot of school. We ended up driving up to Seattle and spent the day at the zoo and the fair. She told the boys, it was for their birthday so do me a favor and don't give them any shit about it. Okay?" I said smiling.

"Sure, sure. I'm just surprised Sam went along with it." Seth replied.

"Well he really didn't have too much of a choice, we were already out of LaPush when we called him to let him know, and even if he did say no, I don't think Bella would have listened." I told him.

"Why the hell are you guys waking me up anyways?" I said, wondering why they were here in the first place.

"We were sent over by the guys. They wanted to know if you were going to make it out to the twins birthday party today." Jared said.

"What time is it?" Fuck I need to remember to plug my alarm clock back in.

"A little after 12. The party started about an hour ago."

"Shit." I said jumping up and throwing on a pair of shorts.

"Eager much?" Jared said, laughing at my display.

"Shut it….. Alright I'm ready lets go." I said, walking out the bedroom door.

Seth ran ahead of us to let everyone know that we were on our way. So I took the time to talk to Jared.

"Hey I might need your help later on." I said to Jared, walking beside him down the road towards Sam's house.

"What for?" He asked.

"I don't want to say right this second. I'm not sure how it will work out, but I'll let you know when I figure it out."

"No prob. You know where to find me." He said as we made it around the back of Jared's house.

Collin and Brady were running around, no doubt, telling everyone about what happened yesterday. Scanning the group, I found what I was looking for, sitting on Billy's lap over by the table.

She must have sensed my presence at the same time, because she started scanning the crowd, until she locked eyes with me. A spark lit in her eye, and she leaned over and whispered something into Billy's ear. He looked over at me, turned back to her, smiled and said 'go ahead dear'. She climbed out of his lap and headed in my direction.

"Morning sleepy head." She said when she made it to me.

"Yeah, sorry about that."

"Its no big deal. Although your waking probably wasn't as colorful as mine. Collin and Brady decided to use my bed as a personal trampoline, with me still in it." She said laughing.

"Well Jared and Seth decided I was their trampoline." I said chuckling.

"So did you sleep okay?" I asked after a couple of minutes.

"Great. You?" she said.

"Me too."

Just then a water balloon hit me on the side of my face, effectively soaking me, and most of Bella. When I looked over to see who it was, all of the guys were turned to the woods laughing.

"You want to get them back?" I leaned over and whispered in here ear.

"Who did it?" she asked.

"Does it matter?"

"How?" she said.

"Follow me." I said as we walked around the side of the house. I picked up the water hose and handed it to Bella. She smiled and turned back in the direction of where all the boys were standing. When she got there, she turned back to me and nodded and then turned back to the boys.

"Boys?" she said. Making it sound like she had a serious question to ask.

When they all turned around to see what she wanted she yelled 'NOW', and I turned the water on full blast.

I toppled over laughing at the expressions on all there faces. Its hard to surprise these guys. Sam and Jake were the only two that didn't get it, they backed away when they turned around, noticing before anyone else the hose in her hands.

They were soaked. Billy was turning red because he was laughing so hard.

I turned the water off, and Bella had a serious expression on her face when she dropped the hose. She looked them all up and down.

"Don't play with fire, if you don't know how to put it out." She said and turned and walked away, trying hard not to laugh.

"We'll get you back Bella!" Seth said at her retreating form.

"NO". Jake, Quil, and Embry all said at the same time.

"Why not?" Collin said.

"Dude you don't know her. You don't want to get her started, she can get vicious." Quil replied.

"I am not vicious." She turned quickly and glared at Quil.

"Your not….. What the time, you replaced Jake's cereal with dry cat food?"

"He deserved it. He cut the hair off my Barbie. I cried for 2 days." She said causing us all to topple over laughing.

"Yeah, yeah, we heard that before. What about the time you put a rubber band around the spray hose in the kitchen sink? You know when I went to get a glass of water I ended up soaked." Embry said.

"You put those packing peanuts in my closet Em. You set a trap. When I went to open it up, they fell all over me. I got stuck cleaning it up. That was so much worse than a little water." She said again.

"What about the time, you set all the parental controls on the tv Belly? The only thing I could watch for 3 days was Nick Jr….. I know you did it!" Quil said again.

"You snuck in my house and reset the alarm. I was waiting for the bus for over an hour before I realized that you changed it. That was your own damn fault." She said again.

Everyone was hyperventilating at there banter.

"Who knew you had it in you Bella." Leah stated walking up next to her.

"Come on lets go get something to eat." She said again, and dragged Bella away from the rest of the boys. Who were still standing there stunned.

I made my way over to where Bella was, made myself a plate and sat down next to her.

"Leah? Emily? Kim?…… I was wondering if you guys wanted to go to Port Angeles tomorrow morning? Do a little shopping, and maybe get some lunch." She asked.

"Sounds good. How about we leave around 8". Emily said.

"Eight it is." Bella replied.

"Me and Kim will meet you over here tomorrow Bella." Leah said.

"Okay."

The rest of the birthday party was a hit. Collin and Brady got a few new games for their systems. Jake thought it would be funny to get them each a new dog collar. Which set everyone into another round of laughter.

As the night came to and end, I asked Bella if she minded me walking her home.

"Of course not Paul." she said

So we headed back to her house.

"Did you have fun?" I asked her walking up the stairs to her front door.

"Yeah…"

I started rubbing the back of my neck, nervous and anxious.

"Bella…..umm…I was wondering if you'd like to go out with me tomorrow night.?

"Like a date?" She asked.

"Yeah…I mean nothing fancy or anything." I stuttered.

"Sure Paul, I'd like that." She said after a few minutes… allowing me to breathe again.

"Cool. How about I pick you up around 7?"

"That's fine…..I'll see you tomorrow Paul." she said, pulling me in for a quick hug and kissing me on my cheek.

"See you tomorrow Bella. Goodnight." And I turned and walked back down the sidewalk towards my house.

When I got around the corner I picked up my pace. I had a lot of things I needed to do. Slamming through my front door, I made my way into the living room where I knew most of the guys were hanging out. They all usually came over on Saturday night just to hang.

They all looked at me funny. Probably because they've never seen me so flustered. Walking over to the couch, I pulled Seth up out of my spot and threw him on the floor….man couldn't he get the hint, not to sit there when I'm here.

I sat down quickly and looked up at all them watching me.

"Guys…I need your help."

**Please review!!! Let me know what you think.**


	13. Chapter 13

**I don't own anything Twilight related. I just like to play with the characters. **

BELLA'S POV

The birthday party turned out to be a lot of fun.

Paul walked me home, and I was a bit surprised when he asked me out. I was excited, but also a little nervous. There were still a lot of things he didn't know. Was it enough to hold me back though? Would I let it hold me back? I probably would have before. But not now. Now…. I'm just going to go with the flow, and see what happens.

After we said goodnight to each other I headed inside.

"Did you have a good time today?" Dad asked, standing in the entrance of the kitchen.

"I did." I said.

"It looks like you and Paul are getting along good." He commented.

"Yeah, he asked me out tomorrow night."

"That's good." he said.

"I'm sorry to cut this short dad, but I have to get up early tomorrow. The girls and I are going shopping tomorrow."

"Alright. Goodnight hunny." He said turning and heading back into the kitchen.

"Goodnight dad."

I went upstairs, and finished my nightly routine.

Making it back to my room I lied on my bed and drifted into a peaceful slumber.

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"Hey Bella!" Leah said climbing into the front seat of my truck.

"Hey Leah. How are you?

"Pretty good. Ready to get this show on the road." She said and I giggled.

Emily and Kim climbed into the back and we headed out of LaPush.

"How long have you and Jared been together Kim?" I asked, staring some sort of conversation.

"Umm. About 3 years now. We got together a few months after he started phasing." She said.

"How long has all the guys been wolfs." I asked out of curiosity.

"Sam was the first, about four years ago, then Jared followed about six months later. Paul was after Jared a little over three years ago." Emily said.

"What about everyone else?" I asked

"Embry phased about two and a half years ago. Four months later Jake phased. Then Quil about a year and a half ago. Seth and I started phasing about a year and a half ago, and last but not least Collin and Brady about six months ago." Leah finished.

"Wow!"

"I know Bella, it can be a lot to take in sometimes." Said Emily.

"Where are all the guys now?" I asked

"It's Sunday. They all usually gather at Paul's house on Saturday night, and don't come home until after four on Sunday." Kim said.

"Yeah when they know dinner is almost ready." Emily said, which caused a fit of laughter.

"So….Jared called me this morning and told me Paul asked you out last night." Kim stated from behind me.

"Yeah…He's a good guy." I said, not wanting to go into details.

"So….Spill! We want details." She said when I didn't start talking again. Ugh

"There really aren't any. We've been spending a lot of time together since I got home. He asked me out. I said yes."

"Well at least he asked you . Jared and I were spending a lot of time together and I finally got fed up with him not taking it further. One day I asked him if he was going to ask me out on a date and he said we already had our first date. When I asked him when, he asked if I remembered the hot dog vendor in Forks."

Everyone started laughing.

"Did he tell you where your going?" Leah asked.

"No. He said it wasn't going to be fancy or anything though."

"Okay. We'll all help you get ready tonight." She said pointing to the backseat.

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Everyone jumped out as soon as I pulled into the driveway. It was almost six and Paul said he would be here at seven.

"Come on Bella." Leah said pulling bags out of the back.

I got out and grabbed some of the bags Kim was holding.

When we got into the house, Leah grabbed the bags I had and pointed to the stairs.

"Shower…..Now!" She said.

"Okay…Okay." I said and walked upstairs and jumped into the shower.

Climbing out and drying off I went into my bedroom and saw the girls all sitting on the side of the bed waiting for me.

Leah handed me a pair of black lace boy shorts with a matching bra. Next to her Kim handed me a black tank and a pair of black skinny jeans.

"Go get dressed." Emily said.

I went back into the bathroom and started putting the clothes on. When it came to the shirt though I froze.

"Leah? Can you come here?" I said holding the shirt in front of myself.

"Yeah? What do you need?" She asked walking into the bathroom.

"I cant wear this shirt." I said pointing to the shirt I was clinging too.

"Why not? You'll look good in it."

"I have scars Leah." I said through my breaking voice.

"Let me see." She said. More like demanded.

"I don't know." I said uncomfortably.

"Come on Bella. We're sisters. Let me see." She said again.

I closed my eyes and let my hands fall to my sides. I heard her sharp intake of breathe and I immediately bent over and picked the shirt up, that I managed to drop, and covered myself.

"I knew it was a bad idea." I mumbled to myself trying to push my way past her. "I'm sorry Leah."

She grabbed my upper arms and turned me to look at her.

"It just caught me off guard Bella. Don't apologize. There's no reason to. Just wait here and I'll go get you another shirt." She said smiling, turning and walking out of the bathroom.

A few minutes later she came in with another black tank, that was a bit longer and covered me completely.

"There. See. Problem solved." She said when I stepped out of the bathroom.

"Come on we have to finish getting you ready."

I walked back into my bedroom and Kim grabbed my hand and pulled me to the chair that found its way to the middle of the room.

Twenty minutes later and the official 'done' from Leah I was ready.

When I turned to look in the mirror my mouth dropped. This couldn't be me.

My eyes had a smoked look to them from the liner, shadow, and mascara that Kim used, And my makeup was finished up with a coat of lip gloss that just highlighted the color of my own lips.

Emily did my hair. Curling it lightly and throwing it up into a high pony, with a few loose curls falling around my neck.

"Wow." I said.

"Thanks!" All three of them said together.

"Okay, well he should be here any time, so I'm going to be heading home." Emily said.

"Me too." Kim said.

"Thank you. I had a really good time today." I said walking up to them and pulling them into a group hug.

"We want details later." Kim said as I walked them all to the door. We all laughed.

"Got you…..Details. I'll see you later." And I practically pushed them out the door laughing.

Turing around again I came face to face with Leah. She wrapped me in her arms and whispered in my ear.

"Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars."

She pulled away, wiped the tear that fell from my eye, turned and walked out the door.

I didn't notice when Paul walked in. I stood frozen gazing at the door. Replaying what Leah said over and over again.

"Is this a bad time?" Paul said walking up to me slowly.

"Huh…Ugh….no…sorry, I was just thinking." I said to him.

"You sure?"

"Positive." I turned my attention to him. He looked almost edible. He was wearing black jeans with a grey long sleeved button up shirt, the sleeves rolled to the elbows.

He leaned down and kissed me on my cheek.

"You ready?" He asked

"Yeah. Where are we going anyways?"

"It's a surprise. But you might need to bring a sweater. We're going to be outside.

"Okay, I'll be right back." I said turning and going up to my room to grab a sweater.

Coming back downstairs he offered me his hand, and I took it. We walked out to his car.

He opened the door for me, and when I was comfortably inside, he closed the door, came around and climbed in his side. He started the car, and we headed off.

After driving maybe five minutes he pulled off to the side of the road, and climbed out.

"Come on". He said holding the door open for me again.

"Where are we going?"

"For a walk."

"A walk? Its pitch black out here." I said.

"Wolf eyes." He said pointing to his face. " I wont let anything happen to you." He reached down and grabbed my hand.

After lifting me to my feet, he closed and locked the door and started leading me into the forest.

After a few minutes of walking I started to see little twinkling lights ahead of us.

"What's that?" I said, pointing in the direction of the lights.

"Impatient much?" He said smiling. "You'll see." And we kept on walking.

"Close your eyes Bella."

"What?"

"Close your eyes. Don't worry. I wont let anything happen." I believed he wouldn't. So I slowly closed my eyes.

He let go of my hand and I was momentarily nervous, until I felt him come up behind me. He placed his hands on my upper arms to help guide me, but I hesitated.

"Trust me." He said.

"I do." And I let him lead me.

In no time at all he stopped us and let go of my arms.

"Open your eyes Bella."

I slowly opened my eyes, and what I saw was astonishing. Nothing short of amazing.

It was our cliff.

The tree line around was covered in hundreds of little white lights, illuminating the entire cliff. Sitting in the middle of the rocks was a small table with two chairs, with a beautiful arrangement of lilies sitting in the middle of it.

The stars were out which added so much more to the peaceful setting.

"Do you like it?" He asked.

I turned to look at him.

"Its perfect. But how did you do all this?" I asked looking around again.

"Sam had a small generator, but the rest of the guys helped me but it together."

"Its breathtaking….really." I said turning to look at him again.

"Are you hungry?"

"Dinner under the stars." I whispered and he smiled. "I'm starved."

"Well allow me." He said walking to the table and holding out one of the chairs for me to sit in.

I walked over and sat, and watched him go around to sit on the other side.

"What's on the menu?" I asked when he got himself seated.

"Mushroom Chicken Tetrazzinni." He said pulling a basket from under the table.

He plated up the food and handed me mine.

"Who made this?" I asked after taking the first bite.

"I did. Why?"

"Its fantastic." I said taking another bite. And it was. I haven't have food this good in a long time.

We continued eating until the food was gone. I, myself put a nice dent in what he brought and I reminded myself to make him cook more often.

"Where'd you learn to cook like that?"

"Jared's mom. She cooks a lot. I just paid attention." He said picking up the plates and putting them back in the basket.

"Remind me to thank her later." I said chuckling.

He stood up, came around the table and held his hand out to me.

"Dance with me Bella?" He asked.

"There's no music."

He dropped my hand, and walked over into the trees coming back a couple of minutes later with a small radio in his hand.

He set it on the table, pressed play, and held his hand out again.

"Dance with me Bella?"

I looked at him for a moment, then put my hand in his while he pulled me up.

When the music started, he pulled me close to hi, and wrapped his arms around my waist. I closed what distance was left, by wrapping my arms around his neck. I laid my head on his chest, and he started singing with the radio.

Ooh Ooh…..

When the visions around you,

Bring tears to your eyes.

And all that surrounds you,

Are secrets and lies.

I'll be your strength

I'll give you hope

Keeping your faith when its gone.

The one you should call

Was standing here all along

And I will take

You in my arms

And hold you right where you belong

Till the day my life is through

This I promise you

I've loved you forever

In lifetimes before

And I promise you never

Will you hurt anymore

I give you my word

I give you my heart

This is a battle we've won

And with this vow

Forever had now begun

Just close your eyes

Each loving day

I know these feeling wont go away

Till the day my life is through

This I promise you

This I promise you

Over and over I fall

When I hear you call

Without you in my life baby

I just wouldn't be living at all.

And I will take

You in my arms

And hold you right where you belong

Till the day my life through

This I promise you

This I promise you

Just close your eyes

Each loving day

I know this feeling wont go away

Every word I say is true

This I promise you

Every word I say is true

This I promise you

This I promise you.

When he finished singing I pulled away from him. He leaned down and kissed a stray tear that was falling from my eye.

"Bella I need to tell you something." He whispered almost to low for me to hear.

"Do you want to go sit on the edge?" I asked

He nodded and unwrapped his arms from around my waist. He grabbed my hand again and led me to the edge where we sat.

He was fidgeting a bit and I could sense that he was extremely nervous, which was making me nervous.

"Just spit it out already. Whatever it is, its okay."

"I just don't want you to freak out."

"I promise I wont freak." I said to him.

He glanced up to me, opening and closing his mouth a few times, kind of imitating a fish out of water.

"Paul?….its okay." I said

"Alright….umm… where do I start…. Ok, well there's this thing wolfs do called imprinting." He stopped and glanced at me again.

"Okay…..what's imprinting?" I tried coaxing him.

"Its when a shifter finds their soul mate. Your pulled to that person, heat fills you. Every connection you have to anything is severed and reattached to your imprint. Nothing else matters. Its involuntary, and happens when you look into your imprints eyes." He said.

"Okay…and?" I asked when he stopped talking.

"Bella did you feel anything different when you met me?"

I started thinking back the last few night and then it clicked.

"You imprinted on me, didn't you?" I asked already knowing the answer.

"Yeah. But I could be anything you need. A friend. A boyfriend. A brother, although I really don't think I'd like you to think of me as your bro.."

"Paul…Paul shut up will you." I said when she started rambling.

"I don't think I'd like to be your sister." I said laughing

"So your accepting the imprint?" He asked.

I sat thinking for a second trying to decide on how I would say this.

"If fate decided it was you I'm supposed to be with, then so be it. Who am I to mess with fate?" I said smiling.

Internally I was jumping up and down. This man, this god sitting next me, was meant for me, was chosen by something bigger for me. Yay. But then it hit me.

"Paul? Are you sure you want to be with me? I carry a lot of baggage" I said looking away from him.

"Bella, will you look at me?" I looked up and met his eyes. "I carry a lot of baggage too, but I also know that I can't be away from you. It hurts. I want to make you happy. I want to be there for you."

"Thank you." I said looking into his eyes. "I want to be there for you too."

"I'll be right back." He said standing up and going over to a bag he had sitting off to the side.

When he walked back over he had a couple of blankets in his hands.

"I thought we'd do some star gazing." he said holding out his hand to help me up.

He laid one of the blankets down and we both sat down on them side by side, and then he laid the other one across our laps.

I let my eyes wander over the water where the moons reflection was dancing with the waves.

"You know… its beautiful out here right now."

"You're beautiful." He said and I turned to look at him.

He started leaning towards me, our faces inches apart.

"Can I kiss you Bella."

I nodded.

He reached his hand up and lightly brushed the few tendrils of hair away from my neck, and brought his hand to wrap around the back of my head. His eyes lowered to my lips as he pulled me in.

Fire coursed the my body when his lips made contact with mine. I ran my hand up his chest and around the back of his neck. I needed him closer.

Deepening the kiss, he moaned and began to slowly pull away. I opened my eyes, and slowly traveled back up the length of him to his eyes.

"I don't want to get to carried away up here." He said out of breath.

"Yeah. I think your right."

We laid down on the blanket side by side, facing each other, our hands entwined.

"Bella?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm falling." He whispered.

"Me too Paul….me too." And I closed my eyes.

**The song was This I promise you, by Nsync. I just thought it fit.**

**The quote Leah used was by: Kahlil Gibran**

**Please review. **


	14. Chapter 14

**All things Twilight belong to Stephanie.**

PAUL POV

"I'm falling." I said to her.

"Me too Paul…me too." And she closed her eyes and drifted to sleep.

I laid there watching for a while. She had a small smile on her face and every few minutes the corner of her mouth turned up.

Reflecting on the events of the last few hours, I couldn't help but feel overjoyed. Bella took the imprint news well, hell she even let me kiss her, which was by far better than any I've ever had before.

I tuned, laying on my back staring at the stars. I've been on this cliff many nights the last few years. But now it was different. I shared it with someone. But not just anyone. Bella. It made it feel more complete. I was ecstatic knowing she loved this place as much as me.

During my mental ramblings, Bella started scooting closer. Reaching her hand out. Searching. She found what she was looking for when she slowly rested her legs between mine, and rested her head on my chest. She rested her arm over my torso. This is how we belong. No worries. Just….us.

"Paul?' I heard coming from behind me.

"Yeah Sam?" I said.

"Jake caught a scent." He said. Just my fucking luck.

"Why the fuck now? I've been waiting for some action a long time, and tonight of all fucking nights one decides to show up." I whispered. Getting angrier and angrier by the minute.

"I know man, I'm sorry, but I need you out there. The younger ones are all in bed and have school tomorrow. Wake Bella up and take her home. I'll meet you behind my house in an hour." He said, and then he turned and walked away.

Man this is the shit I'm talking about. I finally get the girl, but I have to wake her up, take her home, and go track a fucking bloodsucker. Talk about piss poor luck.

"Bella…Bella hunny, come on, you have to get up." I said rubbing my hand up and down her back.

"Just a few more minutes." She said, making me laugh.

"Come on Bella. I have to go patrol. I need to take you home."

"Fine!" she said opening her eyes and sitting up.

"Come on." I said standing and reaching for her hand, pulling her up with me.

We made it back to my car without incident. And reached her place in a couple of minutes.

"I had a really nice time tonight Paul." She said as I walked her to her door.

"Me too Bella, I'm sorry I have to cut this short." I said.

"No. Its okay. I know you have to work. I'll see you tomorrow right?"

"Of course. I'll see you tomorrow," and I leaned over and gave her a quick kiss. Lingering as long as I could.

"Goodnight Paul." She said pulling away, turning and walking through the front door.

Turning and running to my car I hoped in and made my way to Sam's house. When I got there I turned it off, jumped out quick and ran into the woods, stripping off my clothes quickly, I phased.

"_Lets get this the fuck over with." I said_

"_We picked up the scent going towards Forks." said Jake. _

"_We cant go into Forks. The treaty." I said._

"_The treaty is in affect when the Cullen's are here. They haven't been here in over 10 years." Sam said._

"_Well lets go hunting then." I said._

_We all turned and headed in the direction the scent led. The scent seemed to lead us around in circles. _

"_I'm getting that to Paul." Jared said._

"_Split up. Jake you come with me. Paul you go with Jared." Sam said_

_We split up, both groups running in different directions. After tracking the scent for about half an hour Jared picked up on a fresh trail. Minutes old. And it fucking reeked. Bleach and sugar. _

"_We're on our way." Sam said._

_A few minutes later we were joined by Jake and Sam, and we headed in the direction the fresh trail went. Not but ten minutes later, we were standing in a small meadow, not two-hundred feet from a fucking leech. _

"_I'm going to phase back. He looks like he wants to talk." Sam said, running behind one of the trees._

_He came out a few minutes later, standing between Jared and Jake. I was on Jared's right. _

"Why are you here?" Sam said.

"I'm looking for something of great value to my coven." He said

"Who are you?" replied Sam

_I wanted to rip this motherfucker to shreds. We haven't had any action in a long time._

"_Me too Paul, but we have to figure out why he is here." Jared thought_

"My name is Laurent." He said.

"And why are you here?" Sam said.

"I was sent here by a member of my coven. I'm looking for someone very important to us. The girl has close ties to the mates killer. It is only right that this girl be killed. You know, a mate for a mate."

"Is this girl human?" Sam asked.

"Yes." he replied.

"Who is this girl you are looking for?"

"She moved here not long ago. From the south."

_I froze. He cant be talking about her. _

"What's her name?" Sam asked.

"Isabella. Bella for short."

_Fuck I'm going to kill him. _

"_Paul calm down." Jake said. _

"_Are you fucking serious. He just said he was here to kill Bella."_

"_I know move up on his left, I'll take is right."_

We both lunged at the same time, we each grabbed an arm and ripped it away from his body. The metallic ripping sound becoming music to my ears. Jared tried to come up on his front but the leech kicked him back into one of the trees. Dropping his arm on the ground I jumped behind him and grabbed him by the back of his head tearing it from his shoulders. Sam already had the fire going, so I walked up and dropped the head in. Jake came up from behind me and dropped in his torso while Sam went and grabbed his arms. Jared came out of the tree line as the purple flames shot in the air.

"_I missed it again. Fuck, one of these days I'm going to at least get a limb off of one of those fuckers." _

_Jared always seemed to miss the action I thought laughing. _

"_Yeah yeah laugh it up fucker."_

"_Enough!" Sam said. We didn't even here him phase. _

"_That's because you two dip shits were bickering." He said._

"_We've got bigger problems right now, and we need to get back to LaPush." He said. _

We all turned tail (no pun intended) and ran back to LaPush. Phased and went into Sam's house.

Walking into the house and sitting on one of the chairs, there was only one thing running through my head.

What isn't she telling me? And why the fuck was he after her? I needed answers.

**Let me know what you think.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Everything Twilight belongs to Stephanie. **

BELLA'S POV

Waking up I could since something was wrong. I had this eerie feeling. Looking over at my clock I noticed it was a little after 10. So I climbed out of bed, and followed the smell of fresh brewed coffee. Walking into the kitchen I was met with, well everyone. What the hell is going on? I went and grabbed a cup of coffee, jumped up on the counter and began sipping it, watching everyone, who was watching me.

"Bella we need to know something." My dad asked effectively stopping the staring contest.

"Okay?" I dragged out.

"The night of the bonfire, you said you had your run in with cold ones, right?" I started hyperventilating. I knew this was coming. Just when things were starting to get good.

"Calm down Bella." Paul said walking over too me. Pulling me into a hug.

"I cant talk about this in front of everyone Paul." I whispered.

"Okay we can handle that. I want everyone besides Paul and Charlie to go over to my house and wait until I get there." Sam said.

"Does Sam have to hear this?" I whispered again.

"Yeah hun… he does." he said hugging me tighter.

Everyone stood up from wherever they were, and may there way to the door. My nerves were shot. Paul grabbed my hand and I jumped from the counter and followed him into the living room. Sam walking behind me. Dad walking behind him. I sat on the couch, Paul sat next to me. Dad sat in his recliner, and Sam sat on the coffee table in front of us.

"What did you need to know?" I asked, with a shaky voice.

"We need to know how you know about the cold ones." Sam said.

I looked down at my hands, and started playing with the end of my shirt. Pulling off lint that wasn't there.

"I dated one." I said.

"You dated one? Is this the same one that did all the shit to you Bella?" Paul asked obviously upset.

"Paul if you cant handle this you need to leave." Sam said.

"No. Please don't leave. You deserve to hear this."

"I'm not going anywhere Bella, but we need to know everything you know. Is he the one who did all that shit to you."

I nodded.

"How did you meet him?" Sam asked.

"In a book store in Phoenix." I said.

"Did you know he was a vampire?" Sam asked.

"Not at first. But then I started noticing different things. He was always very cold. He was fast. Strong. We never went out in the sunlight. Only went places where we were going to be inside."

"And did you ask him about it?" Sam said.

"Yes, and he didn't deny it."

"And you were okay with that? Do you know how reckless that is? What could have happened?" Paul fired off.

"Yes I was okay with it. It wasn't a choice he made. I thought I loved him, he loved me. He never hurt me before that night. He never did anything other than be there for me….with me.

"Okay, moving on." Sam said.

"Why would there be leeches looking for you?" Sam said and I froze.

"What?" I started rocking back and forth, wrapping my arms around my stomach, trying to hold myself together.

"Who was Laurent?" Paul asked.

My head snapped up to look at him.

"How did you hear that name?" I asked.

"He told it to us last night when we found him." Sam said.

"He was here?…. Oh god I have to get out of here. You guys don't understand. There coming for me?"

"Bella calm down a second. Slow down. Start from the beginning." Paul said rubbing small circles on my back.

"When I met him, he was great. He said we were supposed to be together. Things were going really well for a while. We did the normal couple thing. Went to movies, dinner. Even though he didn't eat. He said he fed off the blood of animals."

"About two months into our relationship, he said he had to leave for a little while, but he would be back. Two weeks later he came back and we picked up were we left off. Only he was different. A little more distant. But I didn't really think anything of it then."

"That night…that night, he said we were playing a game. He asked me who I missed most in life. I asked him why he was doing this to me, I told him that I thought he loved me. He said he never loved me."

"I asked him why he was doing this too me. He told me that if he gave me all the answers than the game wouldn't be any fun."

"He asked me if I missed home. If I missed the dogs. He asked me how dad would feel knowing that I was dating one of them. He said that something was taken away from him that he would never get back."

"He asked if dad was an elder of the tribe. He said that some choices were made a few months ago, and he was surprised to find his daughter in Arizona, but it the game more interesting."

"He said it was too easy, but he wouldn't kill me. He needed me alive."

I looked over to dad and saw him trying to hold back the tears.

"I'm sorry dad." I said jumping off the couch and climbing into his lap hugging him.

"No baby, its not your fault." He said clinging to me. We sat, crying together for a few more minutes.

Climbing off of him once I calmed down, I went back over and set next to Paul.

"Are you mad?" I asked when I sat down.

"Mad?…no…. I'm just trying to figure out why there are leeches after you now though." He said.

"Bella what did you say his name is?" Sam asked after a few minutes.

"I didn't say his name." I said.

"Will you tell us now, so we know who we're looking for. Just in case." he said.

I looked at everyone sitting in the room, taking in all there expressions. I slowly opened my mouth to speak.

"James."

"Fuck." I heard from Paul next to me.

"What? Paul, what's the matter?" I asked, panic clear in my voice.

"I know why he's after Bella."

**Let me know…..**


	16. Chapter 16

**Anything and everything Twilight belongs to Stephanie. I just like playing with the characters.**

PAUL POV

There was something missing. I sat back listening to Bella to us how she knew the leech. Trying to grasp and figure out this cluster fuck of a puzzle. Was I a little upset about her being with a leech? Yes. But it was in the past, and no matter how much I hate the idea of what could of happened, she's here now, and I refuse to judge her on what she did in the past. I just wanted to know…why now? Why is she being 'hunted' now?

"Bella what did you say his name is?" Sam said, pulling out of my mind rambling.

"I didn't say his name." She said.

"Will you tell us now, so we know who we're looking for. Just in case." He said again.

Bella scanned the room, each of our faces. Concern evident.

"James." she said.

"Fuck." I said. This cant be fucking happening.

"What? Paul, what's the matter?" Bella said in a panicked voice, grabbing my arm.

"I know why he's after Bella." I whispered.

I looked up to gage Sam's reaction. Fuck how do we deal with this.

"I need answers Paul." Sam said.

"Sam, do you remember the last time we got a hold of a leech." I said. Trying to get him to put the pieces together.

"Yeah, it was a few years ago." He said.

"Think man." I said. I wanted him to put the pieces together before I tried to explain this to Bella.

"Oh shit." He said after a few minutes. Recognition clicking in his head.

"Would some one care to explain?" Bella anxiously said.

"I will, but Bella I need you to stay calm. Well as calm as you can. I have to get through this." I said grabbing her hand and looking in her eyes.

"Okay. But the longer you stretch this the more nervous I'm getting, so lets just get this over with." She said.

I sat for a couple of seconds, just looking at her.

"A couple of years ago, we had some murders in the area. The people were calling them animal attacks, but we knew that they weren't. We were tracking a group of nomadic leeches for a couple weeks, but we always ended up short. The trails went dead."

"One night Charlie was out hunting with Harry Clearwater, Seth and Leah's father, and ended up running into two of them. The leeches decided to play a game I guess you can say. The beat your father, and Harry pretty good."

I looked over to Charlie, and he nodded for me to continue.

"Sam and Jared were on the other side of LaPush patrolling when I caught the scent. When I got there your dad and Harry were pretty messed up. I didn't have time to think. So I jumped over them and grabbed one of the leeches, and ripped her head off. I turned to grab the other one, just as Sam and Jared showed up. When he saw he was outnumbered he turned around and ran. Sam built a fire and we burned the redheaded bloodsucker."

"We never caught up with the one that got away."

"You took something from me I'll never get back." Bella whispered next to me.

I pulled her into a hug and whispered sorry into her ear.

"Yeah, but that doesn't explain why he didn't kill her when he could have, Paul." Sam said.

"I have a theory." I said. And I did. It was the only thing that made since.

"Well lets hear it then."

"Okay. Umm. Bella said that he told her that Charlie made some bad choices. I think he wanted to fuck her up so when she came back Charlie would catch on to what was going on. He knew that Charlie and Bella were really close, which leads me to believe he's been watching the whole time. We just never caught on. He must think that Charlie and Harry are the ones who called in the wolfs somehow."

"Why wait so long though? If he knew she was there, why wait to long to get a hold of her?" Charlie said.

"Because it was part of the game." Bella spoke up shaking. Remembering what he told her. **  
**

"What do you mean Bella?" Sam said.

"He wanted to play with me. My head." She said.

"Okay I have one more question now." Sam said.

"Shoot." I replied.

"Why now? Why is he hunting her now?"

"Mate for a mate." I whispered.

"Ahh I get it." Sam said.

"Well I don't, can some one please explain this too me." Bella said anxiously.

"Laurent said they wanted you, Bella, because its mate for a mate."

"Okay……" She said waving her hand for me to keep going.

"When we were up on the cliffs last night I told you about imprinting, remember?" I said to her.

"Yeah, you imprinted on me. I remember." She said confusion still in her voice.

"Well imprinting is finding your 'mate' I guess you can say." Speaking with air quotations.

"He must have had Laurent listening in last night…" Sam said.

"I'm still a little lost here." Bella said, cutting Sam off."

I sat for a few minutes, trying to rearrange everything in my head, but Sam spoke first.

"Bella, last night Paul told you that you were his mate. Laurent must have been out there listening and contacted James to tell him. When he found out he wanted you killed. A mate for a mate. Your Paul's mate, and Paul killed his." Sam said.

"Oh." She said. "What now?"

"Now we call a pack meeting." Sam said standing and walking out the door.

I turned to Bella and wrapped my arms around her shoulders.

"What do we do now?" She asked.

"We wait." I told her. That's all we could do right now.

"I should get out of here. You guys aren't safe with me here." She said sobbing.

I couldn't let that happen.

"No, Bella. We'll all be okay. We're not going to let you go. Everyone just got you back. I just got you." I told her.

"He's going to come for me." She said.

"We wont let him get to you. I swear Bella. Your safe here." I said rubbing her back.

She calmed down a few minutes later, and her breathing evened out. She was asleep. I gently laid her back on the couch and stood. I looked over at Charlie, who had a blank expression on his face.

"Are you okay sir?" I asked

"Huh. Yeah Paul, just a little worried."

"Don't worry Charlie, I wont let anything happen to her."

"I know you wont son. Now you better get going. I'm sure Sam has already filled everyone in on most of what happened."

"Okay chief. I'll be over later to check on her." I said.

I leaned down slowly and placed a small kiss on her forehead. Turning I walked out the door.

Let the fucker come, I thought to myself. He may be vicious and vindictive. But hasn't seen me when I get pissed off. And right now… I'm fucking livid.

**Let me know…….**


	17. Chapter 17

**Everything Twilight belongs to Stephanie. **

Chapter 17

BELLA'S POV

When I woke up, I noticed that, yet again I was on the couch. These last few days left me completely drained. Glancing around I saw Paul sitting in the chair that dad was sitting in earlier.

"Ugh…what time is it?" I asked sitting up.

"It's a little after five." He said.

" Why the hell didn't anyone wake me? What happened at the meeting? What are we going to do about James? How long have you been here? What about….?"

"Slow down Bella." He said coming and sitting next to me.

"Sorry, But you really shouldn't have let me sleep that long."

"It's okay. Really. You needed it, the last few days have been really hard on you."

"What about you? You look exhausted." I said

"I've been worst." he said smiling.

"What happens now? How did the pack meeting go?" I asked.

"To answer your first question, there's nothing we can do right now. Until he makes an appearance, we don't know what he's doing. To answer your second question, it was decided that one of the members of the pack are going to be with you at all times. Preferably me, but if I'm out on patrol then one of the other guys or Leah will be here."

"You guys really don't need to do all that. I don't need a babysitter."

He brought his hands up and cupped my face with his hands.

"I cant afford to lose you Bella. I just got you." He whispered.

Leaning forward I laid my forehead against his.

"I just don't want the guys to put there life's on hold, or on the line for me for that matter. James is sick. I've been one of his pawns. He wont stop. And I cant handle something happening to one of them." I said.

"Bella we all look out for each other. Your part of this family now whether you realize it or not. Collin and Brady adore you. Leah already loves you as a sister, so does Kim and Emily. Seth is constantly asking about you. Jake, Embry and Quil, well you know what they think of you. And they protect there family."

"And as for me. I cant be away from you Bella. You're my number one priority. Nothing else matters. I have to…no need to make sure your safe."

"No one…and I mean no one will get hurt. We have each others backs. So please don't worry." He said.

"Ugh…..fine." I said pulling away.

"Where is everyone anyways?" I asked.

"Over at Sam's… Emily made dinner for everyone." He said. "Do you want to go?"

I thought about it for a few minutes.

"Is anyone upset with me?"

"Why would anyone be upset with you?"

"Because I knowingly dated a vampire." I said.

"There upset because you were hurt, but not because you were with him." He said.

"Alright." I said standing up and grabbing Paul's hand to help him up. "Lets go."

We walked hand and hand to Sam's house, and when we entered everyone got quiet. I scanned the faces, but stopped at one. Sam. He looked upset. Stepping on my tip toes I gave Paul a quick kiss on his cheek.

"I'll be right back."

"Okay. I'll be here." he said with a small smile.

When I walked up to Sam he was fidgeting and shifting from one leg to the other.

"Is everything okay Sam?" I asked when I reached him.

"Yeah. Do you have a few minutes Bella? I'd like to talk."

I looked around to find Paul and when I caught eyes with him I smiled and turned back to Sam.

"Sure."

"Can you walk with me?"

"Yeah….come on." I said grabbing his arm and dragging him through the front door.

"Lets go down to the beach." He said when we made it outside.

We walked in silence down to the water, both of us gazing out, watching the water hit the cliffs on the right. It was quiet for a while, but not uncomfortable.

"I wanted to apologize Bella."

I snapped my head over to look at him. Why was he apologizing to me?

"What for Sam?"

"I kind of feel like I let you down in a way."

"How did you let me down?" I said, confused.

"I shouldn't have let him get away a few years ago."

"Sam…." I started but he cut me off.

"No let me finish Bella. As alpha of the pack I have a certain responsibility to protect our people. To protect you. I failed in that, because we let him get away. If we would have caught him that night, none of this would be happening now. None of what has happened to you would have happened." He said with a glum expression.

I couldn't believe what he was saying. He was blaming himself.

"Are you finished Sam?" I said a little harsher than I intended.

He nodded, but continued to look out over the water.

"None of this is your fault." I said waving my hands around. "He's a sick fuck. He got through your barriers. There were only three wolves at the time right?" I asked and he nodded again. "Look….. Bad things happen all the time. Yeah, this particular situation isn't heard of that often….in fact ever, but this isn't your fault. Don't blame yourself."

"Please look at me Sam."

He turned his body facing mine, his eyes were still looking down.

"Sam…please look at me." And he raised his eyes to meet mine.

"You need to stop feeling guilt. That fuck is out there somewhere, and we're not going to be able to get through this without you. The guys need you. You need to lead them. I'm here. I'm breathing, so you didn't fail. It's just going to take a little longer to get him." I said, glaring at him.

Then he did something I wasn't expecting.

He smirked.

"I think you'll be good for everyone Bella." He said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Whatever." I said smirking back, walking down to put my feet in the water.

"Well, we better get back." He said.

When he turned to start walking back up the beach, I kicked my foot out splashing water up his back.

"Oh now you've done it." He said running over to me and throwing me up over his shoulder.

He walked out into the water a few feet. And dropped me. He fucking dropped me. I came out of the water sputtering.

"Oooh I'm telling Paul on you." I said laughing.

"I can take him," he said Laughing out loud.

"Sureeee……" I dragged out.

"Come on before the wolves come out." He said walking out of the water.

We were laughing together all the way back to his house, and when we walked through the door, everyone glared at us. They probably weren't expecting Sam and I to come back laughing, and soaking wet on top of that.

Quil jumped up quickly when he saw the state we were in and ran over to Sam feeling his forehead.

"BELLA?" He screamed "WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO TO HIM?" He continued to yell.

"What do you mean Quil? I didn't do anything to him." I said looking at Sam to see if there were any scratches or anything that I accidentally gave him when he threw me up over his shoulder.

"He's laughing." He stated.

"And…..?" I said

"What did she do Sam? Are you alright?" He said turning to Sam. Everyone in the room was rolling over laughing by now. I didn't get what the hell was going on.

"Run" Sam said to Quil.

Quil turned quickly and ran out the back door, Sam following closely behind.

"What did I do?" I asked turning to the room, where everyone was still rolling around laughing.

"Nothing Bella dear. Sam tends to be the hard ass. It's not to often we see him laugh." Emily said walking up to me.

"Oh" was my great response.

"Here let me go get you some dry clothes. I'll be right back." she said turning and disappearing somewhere in the house.

"How'd you end up all wet anyways Bells?" Jake said.

"I kicked water up on Sam, so he picked me up and dropped me in the water." I said giggling.

Emily came back a few minutes later with a pair of shorts and a sweatshirt, and told me that she would warm me up a plate of food while I changed. I ran into the bathroom, changed quickly and ran back out to the table where Emily had a plate of spaghetti waiting for me.

"Thanks Emily." I said, shoveling the food in my mouth.

"No problem hun."

A few minutes later Sam came back in smiling and shaking with silent laughter.

"Where's Quil, Sam?" Embry asked.

"He's out back hiding behind a tree." He said.

"Why is he hiding behind a tree?" I asked

"Because when he ran from me, he didn't have time to take his shorts off, and he phased. I told him he was on his own, and he doesn't want to come in here naked." He said.

"Now Sam that's not right. Go get that boy a pair of shorts." Emily said.

Sam looked …. Defeated? He turned and walked down the hall. A few minutes later he came back in, Quil following behind, red as a tomato. Everyone saw him and started laughing hysterically again.

"Its not that funny." He said to the group of oversized kids.

"Yeah it is. We thought Bella could only get that red." Seth said.

Queue the blush.

"See!" Seth said pointing to me.

"Ugh." I groaned, and turned to finish my dinner.

We hung out for a little while longer, and around 10 everyone started breaking up to go home. Paul…deciding to be my own personal bodyguard followed me out after we said our goodnights.

We walked back to my house hand in hand.

Walking through the door I saw Paul yawning.

"Why don't you go home and get some sleep." I said to him.

"Nope. I'm not leaving you here by yourself." He said walking over to the couch, stretching out.

"Well I'm not going to let you sleep on the couch." I said. "Go up and lay in my bed."

"Are you sure?" He asked.

"Yeah. Go on."

He got up off the couch and walked up stairs.

"Bella?" I heard a few minutes later.

"Yeah?" I yelled up the stairs.

"Do you have a cell phone in here somewhere? I hear a beeping."

Shit….with everything going on in the last few days I completely forgot about my phone. Running upstairs and into my room, trying hard, but failing miserably not to look at Paul in my bed, I walked to my desk on the other side of my room.

23 Missed messages it said. Opening my phone I scanned through them quickly. When I got to the last one I froze.

"What's the matter Bella?" Paul said noticing my reaction.

I chanced a quick look at him, then turned and ran out of my bedroom door, down the stairs and out the back door.

"SAM?" I yelled, when I reached the woods.

A few minutes later I saw a huge black wolf coming from the trees. I wasn't nervous though I knew he wouldn't hurt me.

"Sam I need to talk to you." I said.

He turned around and went back into the woods, coming out a few minutes later.

"What's the matter Bella?" He said rushing up to me

"Look". I said handing him my phone.

Looking over his arm. I read the message again.

_Bella, I Know where he is…._

_**Let me know what you think…..**_


	18. Chapter 18

_**Everything Twilight belongs to Stephanie. **_

PAUL POV

When Bella rushed out the door, after reading whatever message she had, I climbed out of her bed, and followed her out the back. When she screamed for Sam, I knew it couldn't be good. As soon as he came out of the woods in wolf form she ran up to him and showed him whatever message she had.

"Is everything okay?" I asked.

"Lets take this inside." Sam said, and we all turned back to the house. Bella leading the way.

Once we got inside we all sat in the same spots we did earlier waiting for whatever explanation was coming now. Man this has been the longest fucking day of my life.

"What was the message Bella?" I asked.

"She knows where James is." She said.

"Who knows?" I couldn't take to many more surprises. "Just tell us everything Bella."

"Alice." she said.

"Alice who?" Asked Sam.

"Cullen."

"How do you now the Cullen's?" Sam said. A little anger evident in his voice.

"Last year Phil, Renee and me went to Boston for a couple of months. Phil had some sort of baseball thing he was doing. I enrolled in school while I was there, because I was trying to graduate early. Dad didn't tell you guys I was in Boston?" she asked.

We both shook our heads no. This is the first we heard of anything like this.

"Well anyways, while I was in Boston I met the Cullen's. They were attending the high school there. Alice and I became really good friends, that's it."

"Okay well what does the Cullen's have to do with James?" I asked.

"When I was in Boston, Alice's husband Jasper, asked me about what happened. He could read and manipulate emotions. He could feel what I was feeling. So I told them what James did. Alice can see the future, but only on those she's met before. Do you remember, when I told you that James disappeared for two weeks, and he came back different?" She asked, and we both nodded.

"Well apparently James was up in Denali meeting his friend Laurent. While he was there, Alice and Jasper were visiting there extended family who just happened to be the same family that Laurent's mate was in. Alice met James, but she wasn't able get a read on his future. She told me that her visions are subjective and could change. When a person changes his mind, the vision changes. James knew this, from talking with Laurent, so while she was visiting he kept changing his mind. She didn't know me then. She said she stopped looking after she left Denali. Are you following me?" She asked.

"I think so." I said. "Basically what your saying is that James left you for two weeks, went to visit his leech friend Laurent, met Alice while he was there, but she couldn't see his future because he pretended to be the confused little bloodsucker, he went back to you. Fucked you up pretty bad, and left you. Then a year later you met the Cullen's in Boston when your step dad was there for some baseball thing. And you told them what happened with James."

"Yeah… I know, its a lot to take in." She said.

Holly fuck…a lot to take in, this girl had a sign written on her forehead that said dinner.

"Stand up Bella." I said.

"What?" she asked.

"Can you stand up for me."

She looked at me funny, but then stood up. When she stood I turned her around and rubbed her back.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"Just looking for the target mark." I said jokingly.

"Ass." she said as she turned to sit back down.

"What now?" I asked looking at Sam.

"Now I think we call Bella's friend Alice." He said.

Bella looked at me and Sam, picked up her phone, and dialed the number shaking. She set it on speaker phone, and set it in the middle of the table.

"I've been waiting for you to call…where have you been? cant you answer your phone anymore?" Some one said, I'm assuming Alice, after it rang once.

"Hey Alice. Sorry I've had a rough couple of days. How is everyone."

I wanted to get to the part where we would get answers, but I guess I had to wait a bit.

"Everyone's good. Jasper and I are in Paris. Rose and Emmett are somewhere in Rome, I haven't spoken to them in about a month. Edward and Tanya are with Carlisle and Esme on Isle Esme. But your not calling to find out how everyone is Bella." She said.

"No that's not why I'm calling. I'm in my living room with Sam the alpha of the pack in LaPush, and my boy…boyfriend Paul." She said stuttering.

If it weren't for the fucked up reason why we were gathered here, I would have been jumping up and down. She called me her boyfriend.

"Is he cute?" She asked.

"Alice?" Bella said.

"Geez a girl cant even ask a question anymore." She huffed out.

"Alice, this is Sam, were calling to find out what the message was about that you sent Bella." He said interrupting the conversation.

"Oh…right. I've been looking into James future for a while now, trying to get a reading. Jasper was really upset about the way he treated Bella, so he wanted to try to find him to confront him. The only problem is, he kept changing his mind. Blocking me. I couldn't get a clear vision until last night. It was only about a minute long, but I saw them in a clearing near Forks." She said.

Wait did she just say them?

"Them?" I asked, just to make sure I wasn't hearing things.

"Yeah. James and Irina." She said.

"Who's Irina?" Bella asked before anyone else got a chance to ask.

"She was Laurent's mate. She knows he was killed, she's joining James to try to get to Bella." Alice said.

"What does the Denali coven think about that?" Sam asked. "Are we going to have more problems?"

"No. I talked to them earlier, and they said they tried to talk her out of it, but she was adamant in doing this, They wont take sides with her."

"What's going to happen Alice?" Bella asked.

"I don't know Bella. I cant see the wolves, so when your near them I cant see you."

"Do you know when there going to be here?" I asked.

"No. The vision was too short. But I'll keep looking. He slipped up once. He might do it again."

"Please call if you see anything else." Sam said.

"I will, just make sure Bella has her phone with her." She replied.

"So….Bella…is he cute?"

"Goodnight Alice."

"Bu.."

She was cut off by Bella closing her phone, ending the conversation. A couple seconds later her phone started beeping again letting her know she had an incoming text. She opened the phone, read the message and started to laugh. After pushing a few more buttons she closed the phone.

"Who was that one from?" I asked. I didn't want to be nosy…..who the hell am I kidding, I wanted to know.

"Alice." she said smiling.

"Okay, well that's my cue to leave. I'll be out patrolling if you need anything." Sam said getting up and walking out the door.

"What did she want?" I asked.

"To know if you were cute." she said.

"And what did you tell her."

"I told her you were cute in your own way." She said.

"In my own way?" I said.

I couldn't help it, I jumped on top of her and started tickling her sides. Right above her hip. She was laughing so hard, her face was beat red and she was gasping for air.

"Okay…okay…mercy… uncle…. your cute." She said between breaths.

"Just cute?" I said, tickling her a little more. But stopping every few seconds to let her catch her breath.

"Please….god….like" she said.

"That's better." I said stopping.

"Well are you ready for bed Mr. Meraz?" she asked, after she caught her breath.

"Yeah. I'm wiped." I said climbing off of her, grabbing her hand and pulling her up with me.

"What are you doing?" She asked me.

"Your coming to bed too." I said.

"You sure that's a good idea." She said, when I turned my head to look at her, she had one eyebrow raised and the corner of her mouth was turned up.

"I'll be a good boy. I promise." I said smirking. I'll be good tonight. I said in my head.

"Alright lets go." She dropped her hand and started walking towards the stairs. I stood watching her.

About half way up, she turned and looked at me through the living room entrance.

"Here doggy doggy." She said laughing….

Oh ….she wants to play huh.

"Bella, I'm going to give you a three second head start, and then I'm coming after you." I said laughing.

"You wouldn't." she said.

"Oh I would …. One!"

"Come on I was just playing." she said walking backwards up the stairs slowly still giggling.

"Two!"

She turned on the stairs and started to walk faster.

"Three!"

_**Please Review. **_


	19. Chapter 19

**Everything Twilight belongs to Stephanie. **

BELLA'S POV.

Its been six weeks! Six weeks since Alice saw a vision of James. I've talked to her a few times since that night, but she still hasn't seen anything of importance. Sam, made patrolling hours longer for the guys, and there were always at least three of them phased at a time. I told him that I didn't think it was necessary to push the guys like that, but he said he wasn't taking any chances, and until he was found, everything would stay as it is.

Unfortunately though, with all the stress, and worry for what was bound to happen sooner or later, I became a nervous wreck. One of the guys was always with me, trying to keep me 'sane', as I like to call it. But because there was always some one there, I began growing more and more attached to my brothers, and to Leah, my new sister.

When Collin was sitting at my house last week on official Bella babysitting duty, he told me his girlfriend Erica, broke up with him. She told him that she couldn't be with him if he continued to hang out in Sam's 'gang'. He was upset for about an hour, until my dad came in with a new video game that he was asking for. Erica was forgotten almost immediately.

Brady was acting a little weird when he first came over by himself. When I asked him what was wrong, he said he was a little scared of what was going to happen. I felt bad for him. Yeah on the outside he was a strong protector of the tribe, but inside he was still only fourteen years old. I told him that there was really nothing to worry about. That the other guys would make sure everything would be okay.

Jared… well Jared was just Jared. He reminded me a lot of Paul, and I saw that they shared a lot of the same personality. When he came over a couple of weeks ago, he had a guitar case with him. I asked him what he was doing with it and when he told me he liked to play and write his own music my jaw hit the floor. He played a few of his pieces for me, and I was surprised at how deep some of it was. So now when he comes over, he brings his case, and he'll sit and play for a few hours. Its relaxing. But in a way I connected with Jared a little more than the other guys… Because of Paul... I thanked him for what he did for him, for being there for him, and for standing beside him when his step father was alive. He told me that he would do it all over again if he had to. My respect for him skyrocketed.

Leah came over the most. Even when she wasn't 'watching me'. We'd do simple 'girl' things, like go to the movies, or shopping. Most of the time dragging Emily, and Kim with us. I found out a lot about Leah. She told me about how she was dating Sam for a while, and they were engaged to be married. A few days before there marriage, Sam came to her and told her that he couldn't be with her anymore, and then he started seeing Emily. She was devastated. And she held a grudge against her cousin and her ex for a long time. But when she turned into a wolf, she learned about imprinting, and slowly began to forgive and forget. Her and Emily are close again, in fact maybe even closer, because they share one common love. Sam. Even if Leah can only be there as a sister to him. She accepted it. Which makes me love her even more.

Seth. Well Seth is a little funny to read. Most of the time when he came over he seemed to be a little shy around me. It would take me about an hour to get him to open up, and start talking, but then by the time he would come over the next time, he would be shut off again. Working around his shyness, I asked him one day to help me out with some cookies I was baking. After that, it was easy. Whenever he came over we baked. He opened up. And we had a good time.

Jake was the easiest one though. Whenever he came over he would tell me stories from the pack to get me laughing. He said he didn't want to see anything on my face, besides a smile. He told me one time, about how when Quil phased for the first time, he was running around in a circle for the first fifteen minutes because he was excited he had a tail and was trying to prove to everyone he could catch it. Jake and I would take walks down to first beach most of the time, and build sand castles and things like that. Catching up on the years we spent apart. It was fun. Carefree.

Quil… well If I didn't kill Quil myself the next time I saw him, then it would be a miracle. Don't get me wrong. I love him to death, but he is sometimes the hardest to deal with. One night after Quil left I went up to take a shower, and when I grabbed my conditioner for my hair and opened it, I noticed it didn't smell right. Leave it to Quil to dump it out and replace it with watered down mayonnaise. He's lucky dad held me back from going down to his house that night. That's all we did when we were together. Played pranks. I'm starting to think that if we were to join forces we'd be a force to be reckoned with. If of course, I didn't kill him first.

Most of the time Embry was over it was quiet. We'd lay on the couch together, and watch movies. That's how it always was with Embry though. We kind of spoke a secret language. I didn't need to say anything to him, and he didn't need to say anything to me. But it was never awkward.

Sam was a bit harder. After picking on him, a few times, he began to soften up. At least towards me. We sat around and talked, sometimes for hours. It was never forced. He told me how he still felt immense guilt for what he did to Leah, and that he really did love her, but the love he had for her changed. I told him that he didn't have to explain it to me. But to stop wallowing in your own pity, because the only thing it would do was drown you eventually. After that night everything lightened up , and he started laughing a lot more.

And then theirs Paul. What can I say about Paul. Hmm.

_Flashback._

_When he caught me after I made a mad dash across the hall upstairs, he picked me up and threw me on the bed, and came down on top of me tickling my sides again._

"_I'm sorry." I said catching my breath from laughing so hard._

"_Alright apology accepted." he said rolling off of me to his side facing me._

"_I don't think it's fair Paul." I said looking into his eyes._

"_What's that Bella?"_

"_You know my weaknesses, and you run a lot faster than me. You should have given me at least a twenty second head start." I said chuckling._

"_What fun would that be Bella." he said laughing. _

"_So what's yours?" I asked._

"_My what?" _

"_Your weakness." I replied. _

_He leaned over me and placed a feather light kiss on the side of my neck, right under my ear._

"_You." He whispered._

_I pulled back a little to look in his eyes. _

_He lowered himself down to me, and I closed my eyes in anticipation. His breathe was warm against my lips as he hovered there, sending a tingling wave down my spine. _

_Then he closed the distance completely. Pressing his lips fully against mine. It wasn't urgent, it didn't need to be. I ran my hands up his back, his neck, to the back of his head, to gently run my fingers through his hair. _

_Then his mouth parted slowly, and I felt the tip of his smooth tongue graze my bottom lip, begging for entrance. So I opened for him. Meeting his tongue with mine. Both dancing back and forth, I heard him moan, causing me to shutter in pleasure. _

_His hands slowly descended down the sides of my body, stopping at my waist. He grabbed the bottom of my shirt, and slowly began to lift if._

_And I froze. Fuck_

"_Paul we cant do this right now. I'm sorry" I whispered pulling back._

"_It's okay Bella. It's just hard to control myself around you." He said dropping his head down to meet mine. Our foreheads pressed together. _

_We gazed at each other for a minute longer, I was internally cussing myself out. Just get the fuck over it Swan. _

_He rolled off of me a few seconds later and pulled me to his chest. He fell asleep almost immediately. Listening to his even breathing, and shifting a little I laid my head on his chest, just over his heart. Its peaceful drumming putting me to sleep. _

_End flashback._

Paul came over every night after that first night. It was easy, but we never went anywhere farther than harmless kissing. Although sometimes I wish we would. He was my rock, these last few weeks. He kept me grounded. We went out to our cliffs a lot, just to get away. When I was upset, he would make me laugh. When I was nervous or scared he would reassure me and tell me that everything would be okay.

"What's got you thinking so hard?" I heard coming from beside me. I didn't even hear him come in.

"Just thinking about the last few weeks." I said.

"Was I in there anywhere?" He said smiling.

"I don't think so. But there was this one really cute guy, about 6 ft 7, which short spiked black hair, and a rock hard torso, I cant seem to get him out of my head." I said teasingly.

"Damn…I guess I'm just going to have to work harder." He said lowering himself to kiss me.

The kiss was quick, but still just as nice.

"How was patrol?" I asked as he pulled away.

"Patrol was patrol. It was boring. I could find much better ways to spend my time." he said winking.

"I'm sure you could." I said standing.

He grabbed my arm quickly before I got to far away.

"Did Charlie end up getting called in tonight?" He asked

"No, he said that he found someone to cover it, but he was going to be home a little late because he's stopping at the pizza place to grab pizza for dinner. He invited everyone over." I said.

"Can I cook you dinner tonight?" he asked me.

"Yeah. But what about the rest of the guys?" I asked

"Come over to my place." He said.

I nodded, and Paul wrapped his large hand around my little hand and started walking for the door.

"Now?" I asked.

"Yeah."

We walked out of my house hand in hand. When we got to his house, we quickly made our way to the kitchen, and I sat at one of the bar stools watching him maneuver around the kitchen. I watched as the muscles in his arms flexed when he was cutting up peppers. And when his muscle in his back flexed when he lifted the pot of water onto the stove top. Man….what was he doing to me? I couldn't take my eyes off of him.

"See something you like.?" He said, and I started laughing… remembering the first time he said that to me.

"Your laughing. Shit I didn't think I looked that bad." He said with a fake pout.

"Well compared to the man I was thinking about earlier….." I said.

"Ah…I see. I've got my work cut out for me." He said with a smirk.

"Yeah… you do." And I laughed again.

He continued making dinner, and about an hour later we were sitting side by side at the kitchen island, both perched on bar stools, eating.

After the food was gone, I started washing the dishes while he dried.

"Stay the night with me." He said, while I was washing a plate.

"Huh." I said looking at him.

"Here….stay the night here tonight…..with me."

He must have noticed my hesitation.

"We don't have to do anything Bella. I just want you to stay with me tonight." He said quickly.

I thought about it for a few minutes…..

"Yeah… sure."

**Review if you'd like.**


	20. Chapter 20

**All characters belong to Stephanie.**

PAUL POV

"Stay with me tonight." I said

"Huh." she said looking up at me.

"Here…stay the night here tonight…..with me." I rushed

I noticed her hesitate a little, and I knew what she was thinking.

"We don't have to do anything Bella. I just want you to stay with me tonight."

"Yeah…sure" She said after a few moments. "Let me just call my dad and let him know."

She finished washing the plate in her hand and reached for the towel laying next to the sink. Drying her hands, while walking to her bag, she picked in up quickly and left the room.

The last six weeks I've noticed a change in Bella. She's opening up more and letting people in. Out on patrol, I'm constantly getting visuals from the other guys, and I'm genuinely happy to see that she's doing better. The only problem…I'm starting to get worst. When I cant seem to get enough of her. When I'm on patrol, I ache to be where she is. I've found myself sitting just behind the trees behind her house. The guys are giving me hell, but I cant seem to help it. Every day it gets worse.

I've been sleeping in her house, in her bed with her just about every night. And I'm not ashamed to say that I wouldn't mind doing that every night for the rest of my life. I love waking up to Bella sleeping next to me. Using my arm as her pillow. Her hair splayed across my chest. Half the time I say to myself…fuck patrol… just so I can lay there and watch her sleep, but Charlie would come in and make my ass get up. The one thing I notice most though, is when I start touching her….she shuts down.

"What's got you thinking so hard?"

"You". I said honestly with a smile on my face, and she giggled.

" I talked to Charlie. I told him I was staying the night, and I'd be back sometime tomorrow." She said shifting from one foot to the other.

"Bella? What's wrong?" I said. She only acts like this when she's got something on her mind.

"I was just wondering…." she started and stopped.

"Wondering what?" I asked.

"Do you remember when you said you'd show me you in wolf form?" she asked. I knew where this was going.

"Yes…" I said dragging out.

"Well I was wondering if maybe….if you'd…if maybe you'd let me see you." she asked. I don't know how I hid my smile.

"You want to see my wolf?"

I moved closer to her and grabbed her hand. Pulling her towards the back door.

"Where are we going?"

"Well you wanted to see the wolf , I cant phase inside and risk hurting you, or breaking something…so come on." I said pulling her out the door.

When I made it to the forest, I pulled her in a few feet, then turned to look at her.

"Bella I need you to stay here for a second so I can go phase."

"Okay."

I gave her a quick kiss, then walked out of her line of sight. Taking my shorts off, I laid them on the ground, and phased.

"_What's up Paul?.. I thought you and Bella were hanging out tonight." Quil said. _

"_Oh …. Oh never mind good luck with that." He said again when he saw in my head what I was doing. _

I turned to walk back to where Bella was standing. When I locked eyes with her I didn't move. I didn't want to scare her.

"Paul?" she asked

I nodded.

"Your silver."

I nodded again, and she started walking closer to me with her hand out, palm up. Like I was going to sniff it, causing Quil, Jared and Sam to snort and start chuckling.

When she finally made it to me, she reached her other hand out and stroked me from the top of my head, and down my back to right between my shoulder blades. I stuck my tongue out and lapped it up her face from her jaw to her hairline.

"Eww…gross." She said wiping her face on the back of her arm, making me laugh.

She sat down slowly, so I inched closer and laid down, and put my head in her lap. After a few minutes of her watching, she reached out and started petting me again.

I'm sure the guys are going to give me hell for this later, I was thinking to myself.

"_You know it." Jared said. _

"_Oh shut the fuck up…you were worst with Kim." I though back. _

"_Well…you gave me a bunch of shit for it then…. Paybacks a bitch."_

"Paul?" I heard Bella say.

I looked up and nodded for her to continue.

"You know your a lot cuter in wolf form." She said giggling.

"_Oh…Burn…!" I heard from Quil. _

"_So, never going to live this down." Jared thought. _

"_Oh shut the hell up." I thought to the both of them, only getting them to laugh harder. _

"_Hell no… keep baiting her, so she'll bash you some more." Quil thought. _

I quickly got up, and licked her face again, then turned and walked back to the tree, where my shorts were.

"_Hey Quil." I thought._

"_What?"_

"_I'm telling Bella." _

I quickly phased back before he could say anything.

"Cuter as a wolf huh?" I asked making my way back to her.

"I was only playing, Paul." she said laughing.

"Yeah Quil thought it was funny too." I said smiling.

"Oh really?"

"Uh-huh."

"Want to get him back?" She asked.

"How?"

She turned and walked away from me, scanning the ground for something.

"Ah-ha." She said, as she leaned over and picked up a large stick.

"Watch."

"QUIL?" she screamed, yelling into the woods. "I KNOW YOUR OUT THERE. COME HERE."

A few minutes later a dark chocolate colored brown wolf, Quil, slowly made his way over to where Bella was standing. His face hanging low. She stared him down quickly, and then turned to me.

"Your definitely cuter."

Quil snorted, and I started laughing. Bella turned back to him, and raised the stick and started shaking it back in forth in front of him.

"Here boy…. Here it is…. Fetch." and she threw it into the woods.

Quil turned quickly and went after it.

"Okay lets go back inside.." she said walking back over to me.

"How was that getting him back?" I asked.

"Well now, the other guys will see that, and be picking at him." And I laughed.

"How about a movie or something." I asked, walking back towards the house.

"Sounds good."

We went back inside, Bella went into the kitchen to grab a couple drinks while I put the movie in. And we sat together comfortably watching it.

By the time the movie was over, it was getting kind of late, so we decided to head up to bed. She asked to barrow a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, and I grabbed myself a pair of shorts. After giving them to her I left the room and went into the bathroom to give her a little privacy.

When I finished changing I went back to the bedroom and knocked….yes knocked on my own door, before opening and moving inside. Man what the fuck is she doing to me.

She was already in bed when I went in, so I walked around to the other side and climbed in next to her. She curled up next to me, and laid her head on my chest. Laying there, something occurred to me.

"Bella?"

"Hmm?"

"You saw my wolf today." I said hoping that my next question wouldn't make her run for the door.

"Yeah…"

"Can I see your tattoo?"

She pulled herself off of me and looked down into my eyes….Fuck she's going to run.

"Close your eyes." …..she said after a few minutes, her voice shaky.

I closed my eyes, and then felt her hand in front of my face, probably seeing if I was peeking. Then I felt the bed shift.

"Bella?"

"You can open them now." I heard and I slowly opened my eyes.

I was amazed at what I saw.

She was sitting by my knees, facing the end of the bed, her bra the only clothing across her open back. She was clutching her shirt in front of her. Her breathing heavy. I knew it took a lot for her to do this, and I'm not lying when I say that I was overjoyed that she let down one of her walls.

The tattoo was like none I've ever seen before. It started at her left shoulder and ran the length of her back, ending under the hem line of the shorts, near her right him. Its long wings spread wide in an amazing pattern of red's and greens'. Orange flames where in the background, symbolizing its rebirth.

"Wow." was the only thing I could think to say.

When I continued to take in the amazing expanse of Bella's back, I noticed a faint ending of a scar on her left side. Taking my chances I sap up slowly and lightly traced what I could see of it with my finger. She flinched.

"Does it still hurt?" I asked.

She turned her head to look in my eyes.

"Not anymore." she replied

"Lay down Bella." I said, trying to think on how I was going to do this. She needed to know that I wasn't going anywhere because of some scars.

She shifted a little bit but began to slowly lie back down, still holding on to her shirt. Like it was a lifeline.

"You'd know I'd never hurt you." I whispered reaching for her shirt.

"I know."

Still gazing into her eyes, I slowly began to pull the shirt away. She resisted a little, but then closed her eyes and let her arms fall to the side.

I let my eyes drop from her face, to take her all in. Yeah, there were scars, lots of them scattered all over her torso. And it did make me even more angry at the sick fuck that put her through this, but they didn't take anything away from her. If anything it made me realize, how strong she really was. Stronger than anyone I've ever known.

"Beautiful" I mumbled, tracing one of the marks that went from right below her right breast to her belly button.

"Beautiful? Are you looking at the same thing I see everyday?" She said pointing to her stomach.

"I see them, but I also see you. These…." I said tracing another one. "Only help me realize what you've overcome, and that makes me love you even more."

Fuck there goes my filter.

"You love me?" She asked…

"Yes Bella, I love you. I love you so much it hurts to be away from you. It hurts to know someone did this to you." I said not really caring how cheesy I sounded.

"Paul?" Bella asked when I looked away after my confession. " I love you."

I slowly brought my eyes back up to meet hers again, and lifted my hand to wipe away the tear that fell from the corner of her eye.

"Kiss me." She whispered. And who in the hell was I do deny her anything.

She reached her hand up and wrapped it around the back of my neck, pulling me down to her.

I brought my face down to meet hers, our lips meeting. It was soft at first, but then she parted her lips and brushed mine with the tip of her tongue. The fire began to roar. I pushed myself harder into her, and let my tongue slip out to meet hers. I needed more. Battling for dominance I moved off of her so I was laying on my side and brought her with me.

A few minutes later I released her lips and she groaned in disapproval, which only encouraged me more. Starting at the corner of her mouth I started at trail of soft kissed to her ear. I nibbled lightly, and then continued down her neck. Her breathing increased, and she started trembling lightly. Continuing the decent on her neck , I stopped every so often, to savor the flavor of her. The taste intoxicating. My hands were moving at there own accord. Like they had a mind of her own. Starting on her stomach, then moving down to her waist. Feeling her. She was so soft. I was finding it hard to control myself.

"Bella, this has to go." I whispered when my hand moved back up to her breast, running my hand under the offending material of the bra.

Her hooded eyes never left mine, as she sat up and reached around to unclasp the straps. She let the material slowly fall. Fuck she was gorgeous. Her breasts weren't large, but they were enough to fit in my hand.

"God give me the strength." I said as I sat up and pushed her back down on the bed.

Leaning over her I pressed my lips against her throat, flicking my tongue out to taste her again.

"You're perfect." I whispered.

Laying my hand back on her stomach I slowly glided my hand up to cup her right breast. When she arched, pushing herself more into me, I knew she was enjoying this as much as me.

My mouth started moving lower and lower, stopping every so often to flick my tongue out or nibble, causing her to groan in anticipation. Urging me to do more.

When my lips finally made it to her breast, I lightly flicked my tongue over the hardened nub causing her to flinch.

"Paul?" She groaned out.

"What Bella?…Tell me what you need." I said continuing my slow torture.

"Please…"

"Please what Bella?…tell me…." I said sucking her hardened nipple fully into my mouth, circling and flicking it with my tongue.

"I need.."

"What Bella?… Tell me." I loved that I was making her this way. She wanted me. But I needed her to tell me, I didn't want to push her.

"You…I need you."

Slowly I moved my hand away from her other breast and moved it lower. Stopping at the waistband of her shorts. I let my hand slide just under the elastic, my fingers lightly dancing from him to him. I was fucking torturing myself.

"Are you sure?" I asked. Please don't let her back out now.

"Y…Yes!" She panted

I released her breast from my mouth, and started moving down her body, stopping to trail my tongue around her belly button. Bringing my other hand down I reached for the waist of her shorts.

'Lift up Bella." I whispered .

Pulling her shorts and panties down in one fluid motion I was hit full force with her arousal. Fuck how am I going to make it through this.

I stood up quickly never taking my eyes off of her, and pulled my shorts down. Sitting on the edge of the bed I reached for her leg.

Starting at her ankle. I slowly kissed lightly, moving inch by inch up her leg. I wanted this to last. My cock was painfully hard, but I needed this to last.

When I finally reached her thigh, I switched , and started my ministrations on her other leg. My hands gently massaging her hips.

Reaching the inner thigh, I stopped briefly to gage her reaction of my torment. Her lips were parted, her head thrashing, back and forth, and her breathing was ragged.

"Look at me Bella.." I said, and when her eyes locked onto mine, I lowered myself completely. Running my tongue from her dripping entrance to her swollen pink nub.

She started bucking her hips wildly, so I wrapped my arm around her waist to hold her still.

"You taste so good." I said circling and flicking my tongue over her softness.

"Ugh…fuck…I need more…Paul…Please."

Starting at her knee I gently massaged small circles up her leg. Reaching its destination, I slowly slid one finger into her.

"Fuck, that feels so good Paul…don't stop." She panted.

"Cum for me Bella." I said pumping her with my finger and licking her swollen nub. I felt her walls begin to he clench around me. I removed my hand , and quickly replaced it with my tongue, mimicking what I was doing with my finger. I moved my hand up and pinched her clit lightly, sending her over the edge.

"Oh god… oh god… oh god…" she screamed out, thrashing back and forth….

"You taste so fucking good Bella." Lapping up all that she offered.

"Mmm." She said coming down from her momentary high.

I gave her one more quick kiss on her swollen clit, and started moving back up her body. Stopping here and there to kiss the exposed skin.

When I made it make up she grabbed my head and held it, while she licked her juices from around my lips, causing my dick to twitch and jump. It was just so fucking sexy.

She slowly ran her hand down my chest, moving lower and lower, which felt fucking amazing, sending liquid fire right to my hardened member.

When she reached my stiff cock, she gasped and I moaned, my head dropping down to her shoulder. She wrapped her hand around it and started moving…from the base to the tip…over and over… fucking torture. But it felt so fucking good.

"Ugh Bella."

I had to stop her though. Their was no fucking way I was cumming in her hand. And if she didn't stop soon, I didn't have another choice but too.

"Bell…" she kept moving. "Bella…baby stop." I said reaching my hand down to stop her.

"Is everything okay?" she asked…worry in her voice.

"Yeah baby…. But I need to be in you." I said reaching over to the bedside table. Opening the draw I found what I was looking for, opened it quickly with my teeth and threw the wrapper…somewhere…, and rolled the condom on.

Moving slowly, I parted her thighs and positioned myself in-between. Rubbing the head of my swollen member up and down the her wet opening. I leaned down and kissed her lightly, and started pushing into her, inch by agonizing inch.

"So fucking tight…. Ugh…so wet.." I said when I pushed myself in as far as I could go.

She wrapped her legs around my waist, bringing her hips up to meet mine, which made me go even deeper.

"Fuck, Bella."

She started moving her hips, encouraging to me to start moving, and I did, picking up pace, I started pumping. She matched each one of my thrusts with her own. And I was silently praying not to blow my load to early.

"Fuck ….Paul…feels so good." She panted out, which of course went strait to my cock.

"I'm not going to last long Bella…. I …need you…to..cum with me."

Pumping even harder, I reached between our bodies, and lightly pinched her clit. Her walls almost instantly clamping down around me. Her nails were digging into my back, as she tried to pull me closer to her.

"Ugh…PAUL." she screamed.

"Fuck…Bella." I groaned falling over the edge with her.

I collapsed on top of her, bracing my weight on my arms, and kissed her head.

"I love you Bella…so much." I panted out.

"I love you too." She whispered.

"I'm going to go clean up." I said rolling off of her.

Walking into the bathroom, I took the condom off and threw it in the garbage, and grabbed a washcloth to wipe myself clean. When I finished up I rinsed it off and went back into the bedroom. When I made it to the bed I heard the even breathing of Bella. She was asleep. Climbing in I wrapped my arm around her, pulling her into my side. I closed my eyes, and drifted off, dreaming of Bella.

**This was my first attempt at a lemon…. I hope I did it justice. Please Review.**


	21. Chapter 21

**Everything Twilight belong to Stephanie. Including the characters, that I like to play with. **

BELLA'S POV

I laid there for a while with my eyes closed, sucking in this new feeling. Elation. For the first time in a long time, I felt complete peace. I had a little bit of a hard time last night. I knew eventually I needed to get over my scars. And with Paul's reassurance, and acceptance of me completely, I felt an all new high. It ended up being the best night of my life so far, and I was looking forward to spending many, many more nights like that. Wrapped in his arms.

He was already gone when I woke this morning, patrolling, and I really was in no hurry whatsoever to climb out of his bed. But I knew I needed a shower, and the smell of coffee from downstairs, was enough to push me a little. Climbing out of bed, I grabbed the discarded shirt and shorts that I borrowed last night, threw them on and went across the hall to jump in the shower.

Washing quickly and wrapping a towel around my waist, I went back into the bedroom, and grabbed another pair of clean shorts and a t-shirt from the basket on the floor, and made my way downstairs.

When I made it to the kitchen, I was hit with the sight of just about everyone, minus Paul, Leah and Sam, sitting around the large table that was in the corner.

"Good morning, not that I'm not happy to see you all here, but why are here so early." I said making my way to the coffee pot. Pouring myself a cup and adding the two sugars and a little milk, I turned and made my way to the bar stool that sat at the island.

"It's almost noon Bells." Jake said.

Spinning quickly on the stool I looked over at the clock on the stove. Sure enough it was five minutes till noon.

"Why the hell did you let me sleep so late?" I demanded.

"We figured you could use the sleep. Long night hey Belly?" Quil said winking.

"Oh. Shut the hell up. Did you find your stick?" I said with a smirk.

"Actually I did." He said, pulling a painted stick out from under the table. Looking at it closely, it was painted black, and written down the side it said 'belongs to Quil'.

"Funny." I said, sarcasm dripping from my voice. Which caused everyone else to chuckle.

"So what's on the agenda today?" I asked after everyone calmed down again.

"We were thinking about going swimming, its going to be getting cold soon. Why don't you come along." Emily said, perking up.

"I don't have a suit."

"I'm sure Kim has one you can use." She replied.

"Yeah… come on Bella." Kim said jumping up from her place in Jared's lap and running to me. She grabbed my hand and started dragging me for the front door. "We'll meet you guys down at the beach." She said as we made our way through the door. Man this girl really had too much energy sometimes.

When we pulled up to Kim's house, she dragged me upstairs and straight into her bedroom. She started ripping through her dresser throwing clothes everywhere.

"Ah-hah… here you go." She said handing me two scraps of material.

"I cant wear this Kim." I may have let Paul see my scars, and I know the other guys will see them in his mind when he phases, that doesn't mean that I'm willing to walk around with them on display. "Do you have a one piece?" I asked.

She ran into her closest and came out a few minutes later. Throwing me another piece of material.

"That's better." I said holding it up to myself. It was a black one piece, that would tie around my neck, and leave my entire back exposed. I wasn't worried about showing off my tattoo anymore.

She handed me a short pair of jean cut offs to wear over the bathing suit and pushed me into the bathroom to get changed. Changing quickly and throwing my hair up into a high messy bun, I chanced a look at myself in the mirror. I looked well…good. I think in all reality the way Paul treated me last night, boosted my confidence. Turning and walking out of the bathroom I was met with an already dressed Kim.

"Oh my god.. I didn't know you had a tattoo." She said, yanking my arm to turn me around.

"Yeah.. I do…but lets get going." I wanted to go before I chickened out.

Walking back down her stairs I noticed a guitar case sitting in the corner by the front door.

"Is that Jared's?" I asked

"Yeah."

"Can we bring it with us, I want to hear him play this one song he wrote. He played it for me a few weeks ago."

"Yeah sure…" She walked over, picked it up, and grabbed my hand, dragging me back through the front door to the car.

When we made it to the beach, I noticed a few of the younger boys were missing.

"Where's, Seth, Collin and Brady?" I asked, walking up to Jake.

"Up there." He said pointing to one of the lower cliffs.

"What the hell are they doing up there?"

"Watch."

So I did. I watched Seth walk back away from the edge, and then sprint right off the side. Collin and Brady followed shortly after. Screaming all the way down.

"What's that like?" I asked, still watching as the boys swam to the shore.

"It's a total rush."

"I want to try it."

"Are you sure." Jake asked, turning to look at me.

"Yeah…I'm sure."

"Well come on then." Jake said, grabbing my hand, pulling me behind him.

When we made it to the cliff, I walked over to the edge and gazed over. The water was a little choppy, the waves were crashing against the rocks.

"Your going to chicken out." I heard Jake say from behind me. "The longer you stand there looking over the edge, the harder it's going to be to leap from it."

I stood there for a few more seconds, then turned around and walked back to where Jake was standing. Closing my eyes, I inhaled deeply. Don't chicken out now Bella, I said to myself over and over again. I opened my eyes again, and turned to Jake.

"Jump with me."

"You sure you want to do this Bells?"

"I'm sure." I said grabbing his hand.

"Okay…. Ready…..set…..go." And we both ran together hand in hand off the edge.

The wind rushing past, made me feel as if I was flying. My heart was racing. I never let go of Jake's hand, and when we hit the icy water, I momentarily lost my lost my breath. Breaking through the surface of the water I felt….liberated.

"That was awesome." I said. "Does it feel like that every time.?"

"Yeah. It gets easier to jump every time, but the feeling of falling never changes. Why…want to do it again?" He asked smiling.

"Maybe later, but right now I'm starving and I know Emily brought something to eat." I said as I began swimming back to shore.

When I finally climbed out of the water, Kim ran to me with a towel in one hand and a plate of food in the other. I found a small piece of driftwood off to the side, sitting down I began to eat the potato salad and cheeseburger that Emily made.

"When did you get the tattoo… its fucking hot."

"Ugh…shouldn't you be off playing with your stick somewhere?" I said to Quil, chuckling.

"I would, but I didn't bring it with me." He said sitting down beside me on the sand. "How are you doing Belly?"

"I'm fine, why do you ask?" I said noticing that he had a serious expression on his face, which I've only seen maybe three times since I've known him.

"I saw the conversation you had that night with Paul when he phased a few weeks ago. I heard what James did to you. And I just wanted to let you know Bella, that I've always got your back. I'll never let anyone hurt you like that again."

The tears started pooling in my eyes, but I wouldn't allow them to fall this time. I'm done crying about what happened. I left all that on the cliff when I jumped. Standing quickly I moved over to where he was sitting and climbed into his lap.

"You know I love you Quil… right?" I said into his shoulder.

"Yeah… I love you to Belly… Now enough of this mushy shit." He stood up quickly, with me still in his arms.

"What are you doing?" I asked as he started walking to the water. "Quil?" I asked again, and he just laughed.

He started walking further out, and stopped when he was about knee deep, and threw me in.

"Why the hell did you do that?" I asked spitting and sputtering, but laughing all the same.

"To get you laughing." He said, then turned and walked away.

"Ass." I yelled as his retreating form.

"Yeah but you still love me."

I chuckled, then turned and saw Jared sitting on a rock playing with his guitar. Moving towards him, I sat in the sand and listened.

"Jared, do you remember that first song you played for me?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Would you mind playing it again?"

He looked at me for a second, and then started strumming the guitar. A few weeks ago, I started writing something, that would be perfect for this, but I didn't want to tell any of the guys. When I was ready to reveal it, I wanted it to be a surprise. Sitting back I closed my eyes and listened. Humming along with it. It was soft…light…perfect. When I opened my eyes, I looked up at him and smiled.

"That one's my favorite…"

"Well I'm glad you like it." He said with a beaming smile. And he started strumming again. This time something I'd never heard before.

A few minutes later, I felt someone come up and sit behind me. Paul. I leaned back into his hard chest and he wrapped his arms around me.

"Already done?" I asked.

"Yeah. How are you today?"

"Well other than waking up in an empty bed, I'm doing pretty good." I said snuggling deeper into him.

"Hopefully you wont have to do that much longer." He said lightly nipping my ear. Sending chills down my spine. "Are you cold?".

"Yeah a little…maybe we should head back to your place." I said smiling.

"Okay… lets go."

He stood and helped me to my feet, and after a round of goodbyes we started walking back to his place.

When we walked through the door he quickly closed it then spun me around pressing my back against it. He started kissing my neck right under my ear sending flames to my already heated center.

Then I heard my phone ring. Fuck.

"You better get that." He said pulling away from me.

"Yeah." I whispered.

Walking towards the living room, I picked up the phone that I accidentally left on the table when I left earlier. Looking at the display screen, my heart started pounding. Snapping it open i brought it to my ear.

"_What's going on Alice." _I said looking over to Paul. I knew he could hear what was said.

"_I saw him Bella. He's been really sloppy lately."_

"_How long Alice."_

"_Two days, in the clearing they found Laurent in. He'll be there with Irina. Just be careful."_

"_Thanks Alice. For everything." _

"_Take care Bella. I'll call if anything changes."_

The line went dead, and I turned to look at Paul.

Here we go....

**Please Review. **


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: Everything Twilight, including characters belong to Stephanie, I just like playing with them. **

**ALICE'S POV**

"Jasper, come on we have to go." I said throwing clothes into the suitcases sitting on the bed.

"Why again are we leaving, Alice….and why all the anxiety?" He said with his arms crossed, leaning against the door frame.

"I just have this feeling, Jasper. Something's going to happen. He's to smart, he's been blocking me all this time, and now, of all times I have a clear vision. He's planning something, and I'm not going to sit back and wait to see what it is. So get your ass moving."

"Should we call the rest of the family?" He asked throwing his phone in the air and then catching it.

"Yeah…maybe you should."

"Okay well I'm going into the study, you call the airlines and get everything situated."

"Got it."

**JASPER'S POV**

Walking into my office, I dialed the first number and waited for someone to pick up.

"_Hello Jasper."_

"_Hello Carlisle. How is your vacation?"_

"_It's going good, but we actually are going to be heading home soon. Tanya received a call from Eleazar, apparently Irina is on some sort of warpath, and she wants to see if she can somehow rectify the issue."_

"_Oh, well that's part of why I'm calling. Apparently Irina, has been with James."_

"_James? Why would she be with James?" _He replied.

"_Well apparently our little Bella, is with one of the wolfs back in Forks. This particular wolf ended Laurent's life, as well as James' mate Victoria."_

"_Oh I see, their going after Bella…" _He stated.

"_Yes… Alice had a vision, they will be showing up in Forks together in two days time. Alice has already called Bella to inform the wolfs to be on guard."_

"_Well then everything should be fine then right?" _

"_That's where we run into a bit of an issue. Alice has been having trouble getting a clear vision of James lately. He knows of her gift, and he knows that Bella is connected with our family. Then out of no where, Alice gets a clear vision, of James and Irina in a meadow in Forks. She's a bit worried, that James is setting something up. She's not entirely convinced that she's getting a true vision. Only one that James wants her to see. She's asking the family to meet us back in Forks. We should be heading out sometime today." _

"_Of course, of course. We'll set up arrangements to meet you there as soon as possible." _

"_Thank you Carlisle. We'll see you soon." _

I quickly disconnected the call, and dialed the next number.

"_What's up fucker, how's Paris?"_

"_Hello, Emmett. Paris is nice, Alice has successfully spent a fortune. How is Rome?"_

"_Good, Good."_

"_Listen Alice had a vision and I just got off the phone with Carlisle. We're going to be meeting up in Forks the next couple of days. _

"_What the fuck is in Forks?" he replied. _

"_Bella."_

"_Enough said…we'll be their as soon as we can." _And the line went dead.

Walking back into the bedroom, Alice had everything packed, and was sitting on the bed tapping her foot.

"Everything taken care of?" I asked

"Yes… we leave in an hour. And I see everyone meeting up in a couple of days."

She was still shooting off waves of anxiety.

"Its okay Alice." I said walking over to sit next to her and wrapping her in my arms.

"I know Jasper…. I just cant shake this feeling. And I'm not going to sit back and wait for something to happen."

"I know, I know. We'll be there soon. Lets go pack up the car." I said standing and retrieving a few of the bags, that she had scattered across the room. She stood and grabbed a few and followed me out to the car.

"I just cant let anything happen to her. And as long as she's with the wolves I cant see."

An hour later we were on a plane heading back to the place we haven't stepped foot in, in a little over 10 years.

Forks.

**I know this one is a bit short, but it was and is necessary. Let me know what you think. Please Review. **


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer: Everything Twilight belongs to Stephanie Meyer. Including the characters. **

PAUL'S POV

When Alice called to let Bella know what she saw, I saw the tension in Bella. I knew this was going to be hard for her, but I really didn't know how to deal with it. I did know that I needed to get the pack together to draw out a plan. We didn't really know what to expect, or what time James and Irina were going to be showing up, but we did know that they were going to be there the day after tomorrow. I slowly walked to Bella, and guided her to the couch. She seemed to be in some sort of trance. Helping her to sit I gave her a quick kiss and told her I would be right back. Making my way through the kitchen, and out the back door, I walked to the tree line, stripped my shorts and phased.

"_Hey Paul." _I heard Collin say

"_Hey Collin, do me a quick favor, and phase back and run down to the beach. Tell everyone they need to come back to my house. Alice just called."_

"_No problem. We'll be there as soon as possible."_

I quickly phased back, and walked back into the house. When I made it to the living room, Bella was still sitting in the same position, I left her in. Picking her up off the couch, I spun around and sat down, bringing her down to sit in my lap.

"Bella, baby are you okay?"

"Huh?…yeah." She said after a few moments.

"Are you sure?"

"I'll be fine. I'm going to go start the dishes." She said standing up and walking towards the kitchen. I knew she was only trying to keep herself occupied, and I was silently wishing the guys would hurry the fuck up, so we could get this over with. After about ten minutes that seemed to drag, everyone piled through the door. When everyone sat, Sam started.

"Collin said that Alice called?"

"Yeah, she said they'll be here the day after tomorrow. She didn't say what time though." I replied rubbing the back of my neck.

"Okay, well first, Collin and Brady, I want you two too stay here to watch the girls." Sam said turning his attention to the twins. They both nodded their heads in agreement and waited for Sam continue.

"Jared, Leah, Seth, Paul, Jake, Quil and myself will watch the meadow, but I want everyone to stay back until I give the order to confront them. We don't need them catching wind of all of us being out there." He said pointing to each of us. "We'll split into two groups, and start keeping watch at midnight tomorrow night. Now, where's Bella?" He asked obviously to wrapped up in what's going on to hear her in the kitchen.

"She's in the kitchen. I don't think she's taking it very well. She kind of zoned out when she got off the phone with Alice. And when I asked if she was okay, she said she needed to do dishes."

"Maybe we should all hang out tonight. It is Saturday after all. It might help." Jared said.

"I don't know. I'll go see what she thinks. Give me a minute." I stood up and walked into the kitchen. Bella was standing at the sink with the water running, staring out the window. She looked lost.

"Bella are you alright?" I said at the door. She turned to me and gave me a small smile.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I just have a really bad feeling about this. Something's not sitting right Paul, and I cant figure it out."

"It'll be alright hun." I said walking up behind her and wrapping my arms around her waist. "Everyone's going to be fine. It's just the two of them against all of us."

"Yeah. I guess your right." She said leaning her head back against my chest.

"The guys want to know if they could stay the night." I didn't want to tell her that the guys thought it might help her if they were all there.

"Yeah. I think that's a good idea. What should I make for dinner?" she said walking over to the fridge. "Is everyone hungry? Of course everyone's hungry….Where's everyone going to sleep? I should maybe do a load of laundry. The bathroom upstairs should be cleaned. Someone needs to take out the garb….." She said rambling.

"Bella….Bella, hun maybe you should go into the living room, everyone's out there waiting, we can watch a movie and maybe order some pizza's." I turned her around to face me. "Its going to be okay. I promise."

I grabbed her hand and started pulling her to the living room. When we made it into the room everyone had a sad expression on her face. Looking at Sam I motioned to the door, with a quick nod. I needed to talk to him, and I didn't want Bella to hear. She sat silently between Embry and Jake, and I turned to walk out the door.

"Paul, what's going on?" Sam asked when we made it into the front yard.

"She's losing it man. Maybe I should stay with her, and everyone else can go take care of the leeches."

"No. I need you out there Paul. The twins will stay with her to make sure she's okay, and we'll have Collin phase outside so we can keep an eye on the girls from a distance."

"Fine… lets get back inside. I think we should order some pizza's and maybe play a game or something to get her mind off of what's coming."

"Yeah….sounds good."

We turned and walked back inside, Jake already had the phone in his hand ordering dinner, and everyone was talking quietly, Bella being the only exception.

"How about we play a game?" Sam spoke up.

"What kind of game?" Seth said.

"Truth or dare." Quil yelled coming back in from wherever he was.

"How about it Bella… want to play truth or dare?" I asked, hoping this would work enough to lighten the mood.

"Sure." She said looking around the room. Who's first?" She asked.

"Well since Sam thought about playing a game, he gets to pick first." Kim said perking up.

Everyone turned their attention to Sam.

"Umm… Embry, truth or dare?" It was always funny watching Embry play truth or dare, cause the poor boy was shy most of the time.

"Ugh, why'd you have to pick me first…..dare I guess." He said glaring at Sam.

"Hmmm… I dare you to…go next door and knock on the window, when they answer ask them if they would like to buy some nicer curtains." He said pointing towards Mrs. Cline's house next door. I kind of felt bad for him. That lady could be a real bitch at times.

"Ughhh…fine, but if she calls the cops again your explaining to the chief what happened." He said causing all of us to start laughing. He quickly got up and made his way out the door, and everyone ran to the window to watch. Bella was trying to hide a smirk.

When he made it next door we saw him knock on the window and shortly after Mrs. Cline opened the door. When he finished talking to her, she was red and you can almost see the smoke pouring out of her ears. She was waving her finger in front of him, like she was scolding a child, and he had his face pointed to the ground. A few minutes later she slammed the door in his face and he started walking back over to my house. Everyone quickly found there seats again and when he walked threw the door everyone burst out laughing.

"So not cool…Charlie will probably be here in a half an hour." He said sitting back down. "My turn." He said looking around the room.

"Jake…?

"Dare." He said his eyes sparkling. Embry quickly stood up and went into the hall coming back with a backpack, he handed it to Jake.

"You have to put this on, and then get on Collin's old bike out back. Ride up and down the street singing the theme song from the wizard of oz."

Everyone started laughing again, because the bike out back was built for a ten year old. Jake stood quickly and went out towards the kitchen. Again everyone stood up half of us going to the front window, the other half going to the door. A few minutes later Jake came riding through the front yard, and he looked ridiculous.

Riding up and down the street he began singing. "We're off to see the wizard…A few minutes later a couple of kids came running up to him. They wanted to know if they could go with him to see the wizard, and when Jake told them no, one of them walked up to him and kicked him in the shin, which caused everyone to break down again. A few minutes later he came back into the house laughing.

"Quil?" He asked.

"Dare." He said quickly.

"I dare you to tell the next person that walks through the door, that you want to play doctor with them."

"No problem… "

"That's doesn't include one of us." Jake quickly added in, waving his hand around.

"Fine…"

The game went on for another thirty minutes, and Bella was constantly laughing. Brady ended up having to walk into the middle of the street outside singing I'm a little teapot, and doing all the gestures that went along with it. I ended up having to drink a half bottle of Tabasco sauce. And I could have beaten the shit out of Quil for making it my dare, but it made Bella laugh so I sucked it up and went with it. I'll get his ass later.

The girls all went upstairs to grab the pillows and blankets from the rooms, and when they made it back down we all settled in and started a movie. Bella and I were curled up together on the couch when Charlie walked in.

As soon as he came in Bella called Quil's name and pointed to her dad giggling.

Quil got up and walked over to Charlie, and started rubbing his arm up and down.

"Hey Charlie." He said. "Did you have a good day at work?" He asked.

"Same as always Quil, although I did get a call from Mrs. Cline earlier, saying that she was having some trouble with the neighborhood hoodlums." Everyone glanced over at Embry who scooted down in the chair he was sitting in.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. We'll keep a look out for the punk." Quil said, still rubbing Charlie's arm.

"Are you alright Quil?" Charlie asked taking a step back.

"Actually I wanted to play a game but no one will play with me sir." He said laying it on real think.

"I don't blame them Quil. I've seen some of the games you've played." He said taking another step back, Quil stepped with him.

"Will you play with me sir? I promise I'll be good." He said batting his lashes.

Bella had her face buried in my chest, trying to contain her laughter.

"What game Quil?" He asked exasperated.

"I want to play doctor, will you play doctor with me? I've got a splinter…." He said turning around and bending over.

"Boys…" He said looking at the group, effectively dismissing Quil. "Then next time you play truth or dare, please, don't make me one of the dares. Quil go sit down, before I call your mother." He said and we all started laughing as Quil stomped across the room and sat in front of the couch.

"So which one of you had Mrs. Cline calling me this time?" He said glaring.

Everyone pointed to Embry quickly.

"He made me sir." He said pointing to Sam, who turned his head back to the movie playing on the television.

"Right… well next time you guys play leave her alone. That woman drives me crazy." He said turning and walking out the door.

The rest of the night was quiet, but peaceful, everyone passed out wherever they were. Embry slept in the oversized chair, Jared and Kim were wrapped around each other on the floor, as were Sam and Emily. And the rest of the guys laid scattered. Bella and I claimed the couch, after all it was my house, and I was not getting stuck on the floor.

LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

I woke up alone on the couch and music coming from the kitchen. Glancing around I noticed that there were no woman in the living room, and I could smell bacon. Stepping lightly over the sleeping guys I made my way to the kitchen. I sure as hell didn't want to wake them up when there was food around. First come first serve and if you didn't wake up in time in this house you were assed out. When I got to the kitchen, all the girls were running around.

"Morning babe." Bella said running up to me.

"Good morning to you too." I said kissing her lightly. "What are you doing?"

"What the hell does it look like I'm doing?" She said with a smirk. "Are you hungry?"

"Hell yeah." I was glad she was in a better mood. It was a complete one-eighty from yesterday.

"Maybe you should go wake the guys up." She said pointing to the door.

"Uh, nope. They'll get up soon enough." I said grabbing a plate. I quickly loaded it up with the pancakes, sausage, bacon, and scrambled eggs the girls made, and dug in.

And as soon as the fork hit my mouth, I heard a stampede coming from the living room. I swear these fuckers can hear chewing sometimes. Lifting my plate quickly I stood and made my way over to the counter and hopped up. Looking at the clock on the stove it was almost eleven, so I chewed a little faster. When I was done Bella took my plate and gave me a quick kiss, and I ran upstairs to take a shower.

A few minutes later, Bella came in holding her phone up.

"Who is it?" I asked.

"Its Alice."

"Why does she want to talk to me?" I asked confused. I never really had a conversation with her.

"I don't know, when I answered she asked to speak with you….here." She said passing the phone through the shower curtain.

"_Hello?" I asked_

"_Paul, how are you this morning." She asked_

"_I'm fine, better than yesterday, and I'm sure better than what I'll be tomorrow. What can I help you with Alice?"_

"_What are you guys doing in an hour?" She asked. _

_What did it matter what we were doing. I was asking myself._

"_I don't know why?" I said. _

"_Meet me at the meadow. Bring the wolves. And bring Bella."_

**Let me know what you think….Review Please.**


	24. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer: Stephanie Meyer owns everything Twilight, including the characters, that I like playing with. **

Chapter 24

Bella's POV

I was sitting at the table with the rest of the guys, picking food off of Seth's plate when I heard my phone start to ring. Standing up and walking over to the counter where I left it, I quickly opened it without checking the display screen.

"_Hello?" _

"_Hey Bella…it's Alice." _Everyone in the kitchen got quiet.

"_Hey Alice, what's going on, did you see something else?" I rushed out._

"_No, I didn't see anything else, but I was wondering if I could speak with Paul for a minute." _This caught me a little off guard. Usually all of the conversations involved me , but in any case I turned and started heading for the stairs.

"_Is everything okay?" _I heard myself saying.

"_Yeah, so far everything's fine." _

"_Okay, hold on a sec and I'll get him for you." _I said walking through the bathroom door.

When I made it to the bathroom I opened the door quickly and slid inside, shutting it behind me. Paul turned and I held the phone up to him.

"Who is it?" He asked.

"Its Alice."

"Why does she want to talk to me?" He asked confused, and I was just as confused.

"I don't know, when I answered she asked to speak with you….here." I said passing the phone through the curtain. I turned and closed the lid to the toilet and sat, only catching his half of the conversation.

"_Hello?" He asked._

"_I'm fine, better than yesterday, and I'm sure better than what I'll be tomorrow. What can I help you with Alice?"_

I was getting impatient, and without realizing it my legs were bouncing up and down.

"_I don't know why?" _

A few second later he snapped the phone shut, and passed it back to me through the curtain. He turned and continued with his shower. I was antsy as hell.

"Paul?" I asked. "Paul, what's going on?"

"Alice wants us to meet her in the clearing in an hour." He said turning to look at me.

Wait…did he just say what I think he said.

"Hold up….rewind. Did you just say that Alice is here… in Washington?" I said.

"Forks, to be a little more specific."

"Do you want me to go down and tell the guys?" I asked turning towards the door.

"Do you want to take a shower?" He replied, wiggling his eyebrows. How could I resist.

Taking my clothes off quickly I jumped into the shower with Paul, and he turned us so that I was standing directly under the water. He reached for the bottle of body wash behind me, and softly kissed my neck as he leaned over. Pouring some of the soap into his hands, he began to wash me. I moaned at the feeling, laying my head back on the wall behind me. A few minutes later I felt the heat of his breath at my neck again. Causing my body to shiver.

"I love you Bella." He whispered in my ear. He started a trail of soft kisses on my neck going lower and lower.

"Oh…..oh fuck…. shit…sorry." We heard come from the bathroom entrance.

"What the fuck, cant anyone fucking knock?…. What the fuck do you want, Sam?" Paul screamed pulling me behind him, to block me from the door.

"Fuck, I'm sorry. But when Bella answered the phone and it was Alice, she came right up here. We wanted to know what was going on." He said, turning his head.

"We'll be out in a minute. Close the door behind you." Paul said. Sam turned and started walking away.

"Oh and Sam?" He yelled.

"Yeah." He replied.

"Tell those fuckers downstairs to start fucking knocking too." And Sam disappeared, closing the door behind him.

Paul quickly turned to me, grabbing my face in his hand.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah…I'm fine, and if it weren't for the whole situation, I might have even laughed at it….Did you see his face?" I said chuckling.

"Sure did…that's why I didn't jump out and beat the shit out of him right then and there." He replied smirking.

"Okay well now that the water is officially cold, maybe we should get going." I said.

"I guess your right, but we will be finishing this later Mrs. Swan." He said leaning over and placing another kiss on my neck.

"I'm looking forward to it." I whispered back in his ear.

We both quickly jumped out of the shower, and dried each other off. When we made it back to his room, I went over to my bag that dad brought over sometime this morning when everyone was still sleeping. I quickly threw on a pair of stone wash jeans and a grey tank. Pulling my grey hooded sweatshirt on, and throwing my hair up in a sloppy bun I was ready to go. Grabbing Paul's hand we headed back downstairs towards the living room where all the noise was coming from.

"Let's go." Paul yelled calling over his shoulder, pulling me towards the front door.

"Where the hell are we going?" Jake asked.

"To the clearing." I replied.

"What the hell is in the clearing?" Quil asked.

"Alice Cullen." Paul said, and everyone stood and followed us out the door.

We made it to the clearing in less than twenty minutes. We were all still a little early, so when we did arrive it didn't surprise me that no one else was there yet. A few minutes later, a few of my brothers froze, and motioned there heads to the tree line on the opposite side of the clearing.

"Their coming." Sam said.

Before I knew what was happening I was standing behind all of the guys, all standing protectively around me.

"Don't you guys think your overdoing this a little." I said stepping on my tip toes to look around Seth who was standing directly in front of me.

"We're just making sure you remain safe". Embry said from beside me.

"Well, were not going to hurt her." I heard Alice say from somewhere in front of me.

"Alice are you really here?" I asked.

"Yeah Bella, we're really here."

"Seth…move." I said at his back. He quickly looked over to Sam who didn't say anything, but nodded.

Seth moved out of my way, and I was met with the sight of my close friends from Boston,

Carlisle, Esme, Jasper, Alice, Rose, and Emmitt.

I quickly ran up to Alice and she wrapped her cold arms around me.

"I missed you so much Ali." I cried into her shoulder.

"Me to Bella. Me too."

Turning my attention to the rest of them, I walked up to Jasper and gave him a quick hug and a kiss on his cheek.

"It's nice to see you Jasper."

"Likewise Bella, I just wish they were under somewhat better circumstances."

All to soon I was lifted into a crushing hug, being spun around. I heard some of the guys growling from somewhere.

"Oh shut up, you guys. Its just Emmett." I said still spinning in his arms.

"I missed you big bro. But you really need to stop before I throw up all over you."

"Eww… gross." Was all that he said as he set me back on my feet.

"How are you Emmy. I missed you."

"I missed you to little sis. And I'm doing good."

"That's good….Hey Rose." I said turning my attention to the blonde bombshell standing next to Esme.

"Hey Bella." She said with a small smile.

"Carlisle….Esme…god I've missed you both." I said running up to them both and wrapping them in both in my arms.

"Its good to see you Bella….." Esme started, but Alice quickly jumped in to cut her off.

"So…Bella….which one of these.." she said pointing to the pack.. " is yours?"

I quickly ran over to Paul wrapping him in my embrace. He leaned down and gave me a small kiss, and then we headed to the middle of the clearing.

"Paul this is Alice….Alice this is Paul." I said.

She looked him up and down for a few seconds, and then looked back and forth between me and him. The silence was dragging on. The next comment she made though had the pack chuckling behind us.

"I approve."

"Well I'm glad you do Alice, but even if you didn't I don't think I would've given him up." I said honestly.

"Alright, Alright. Why did you ask for us to meet you here, and why are you here in the first place." Sam said with a little edge in his voice.

"We asked to meet with Paul, Bella and the wolves. So which one of you are the wolves?" Carlisle asked.

I looked at all my brothers a little confused and then realized what he thought.

"Carlisle, they…" I said pointing to my brothers, and sister.. "are the wolves."

"But there are 10 of them." He said, his expression showing a little shock.

"Yeah…wait…where is Edward and Tanya?" I asked, just realizing the two missing.

"They went to Denali to try and talk some since into Irina. I don't see it working, but Tanya insisted that she needed to do this." Alice spoke up.

"Wait, why are you here? I thought you were all on vacation." I asked to no one in particular.

"Alice had a bad feeling." Emmett said stepping forward.

"What do you mean Alice had a bad feeling?" Sam said coming to step on the other side of me.

"I have been looking for James for a long time now, and he has successfully managed to block me from seeing anything. When I got the first vision a few weeks back, it was only a few seconds, which made me believe he slipped up, because shortly after I went blank again. But now I can see everything he's planning. Like he wants me to see him and I'm not entirely sure that he's not planning something else. It just doesn't make any sense. I just needed to be closer, so that if anything does happen, I could help."

"Ah, I see." Sam said nodding in her direction. "Well as long as you are here, the treaty remains the same. Stay off our land, and don't bite a human, and we will leave you in peace."

"Alright." Carlisle replied.

"So are you going to introduce us to everyone?" Emmett asked coming to stand in front of me. Paul pressed me into his side a little more.

"Hun… relax, there not going to hurt me." I said looking up to him.

"I trust you, and if you say that they aren't going to hurt you then I believe you." He said gazing into my yes. Then he turned to Emmett. "Don't give me a reason to hunt you down."

"No problem man, we wouldn't hurt her, she's family to us. Leave it to Bella though to have a werewolf boyfriend and a group of wolf and vampire brothers and sisters." He said laughing.

"Ha Ha laugh it up Emmy. Anyways introductions. Emmett this is Sam, Jared, Embry, Jake, Quil, Seth, Leah, Collin, Brady, and I'm sure you heard this is Paul." I said pointing to they guys, and when I got to Paul I smiled up at him. "Guys this is Carlisle, Esme, Rose, Jasper, Emmett, and I'm sure you guessed the pixie is Alice." I said pointing at my Vamp family.

"How long are you guys staying." I asked after everyone said there hello's.

"Well actually were thinking about sticking around for a while." Carlisle spoke up. And I started jumping up and down from excitement.

"Easy there Alice Jr. we wouldn't want you falling and hurting yourself." Jasper said smirking. Causing me to giggle.

Everyone stood around talking for the next hour, only stopping when Esme cleared her throat.

"I think we should invite everyone over and have a barbeque. It would give everyone the chance to get to know each other a little better, and talk about what will happen tomorrow."

All of the guys started jumping up and down. I don't think they heard Esme say anything about getting to know each other. All they heard was barbeque, which was tightly connected to the word food.

"Esme, it costs a lot to feed these guys…are you sure. Its not like you eat." I said.

"Yeah, I'm sure. We'll send Emmett and Jasper to go get a grill and the girls and I will go to the grocery store. Why don't you guys come up to the Cullen house around 6."

Everyone quickly agreed, and the pack and Cullen's split up, both going separate directions. Paul and I walked hand in hand back towards LaPush. When we made it back to the house, Paul quickly rushed us inside and locked the door before the other guys could make it in. He turned and spun me around pressing me against the wall. He pressed his hard body up against me. Leaning over he whispered in my ear.

"It's later Mrs. Swan."

**Review if you'd like…**


	25. Chapter 25

**Stephanie Meyer owns everything Twilight. Including Paul ****L. I just like playing with him. **

**I wanted to leave a quick note to thank everyone that has reviewed…they motivate me to keep going. Thanks a bunch…. **

PAUL'S POV

When we made it to the house, I quickly shut the door, and locked it. There was no way in hell I was letting the guys interrupt us again. It was bad enough I couldn't get the image of her, soaking wet in the shower out of my head. I needed her. Now. Turning to face her, I gently grabbed her waist and pushed her up against the wall. Leaning down I started trailing a line of soft kisses to her neck.

"Its later Ms. Swan" I whispered into her ear as I continued my assault on her neck. She shivered at the contact, and I knew she wanted this as much as I did.

She brought her hand up to the back of my head, pulling my hair lightly I backed away and she gazed into my eyes.

"I need you Paul." She whispered.

She pulled me back to her, crashing my face down to her. The kiss was filled with need. I started running my hands up and down her sides, breaking the kiss to pull her shirt and sweater up over her head. Fuck she wasn't wearing a bra. One less obstacle. Slowly I traced my hands across her stomach, moving upward I cupped her left breast. She was amazing, completely perfect. She released a soft groan, and reached forward to unbutton my shorts. I backed away from her a little to remove my shoes and shorts, and when I looked back to her, she had already removed what was left of her clothing. Fuck. I could stand there forever looking at her.

I slowly walked towards her again, and our lips crashed together. The need evident in both of us.

I slowly traced the contours of her body, stopping briefly to graze her breasts, and then moving my hands down and around to cup her ass. I lifted her easily, and she wrapped her legs around me. I could feel her heated wet core push against my painfully erect cock. Her hands were roaming over me. Over my shoulders, down my chest. Moving closer to where I needed her to touch me the most. She broke our heated kiss and began kissing up my neck to my ear. Stopping to lick and nibble along the way. She was driving me fucking crazy. I didn't know if I could get any harder than I already was. She continued torturing me for a few more minutes, while my hands explored her, stopping every so often to kneed her breasts and lightly run my thumb over her hardened nipple.

Somehow we ended up on the floor, and I bought my hands up to cup the side of her face. I gently kissed her lips, then started my ministrations down her body, stopping at each of her breasts, to caress and nibble the hardened buds. Moving down I started kissing her stomach, stopping often to nip at her exposed skin. I smirked when I saw her twitch and jump. Moving lower I left a trail of soft kisses down her right leg, moving back up her left. I could smell her arousal getting stronger and stronger, and I was holding on to what I could to not dive right in. I continued kissing up her leg, stopping just short of her glistening core. Moving my hand I gently place it against her overheated mound. A moan escaped her lips as she pushed herself against my hand.

I slowly traced my fingers up and down her lips, stopping briefly to circle her nub. She was moaning quietly as I slowly slid one finger into her. She was so tight. So wet. As my finger slowly entered and exited over and over, I moved myself and brought my tongue down to join my fingers on her heated core. I licked and sucked all the juices flowing from her. She tasted fucking amazing. I could do this all day. As I slid a second finger into her and started thrusting faster, curling my fingers to hit her spot, I could feel her nearing her release. She was breathing heavier and her moans were becoming louder.

"Cum for me baby… Let it go…" I whispered against her and I immediately felt her muscles tighten around my fingers. She screamed my name as I pulled my fingers out and replaced them with my tongue. Lapping up all the juices that flowed from her.

When I finished my assault she grabbed my face and pulled me up to hers kissing me urgently. Her hands moving down to my now painfully erect cock. She began stroking me, slowly at first and then speeding up. All too soon she stopped.

"Paul…..I need you in me now." She moaned. Who the fuck was I to disappoint.

Positioning myself between her, I met her gaze as I entered her completely in one thrust. Leaning over I gave her a couple of soft kisses, and she began moving her hips to meet mine.

Feeling her heat, along with her tightness I knew I wasn't going to last to long. I began thrusting harder and faster. Her walls began to tighten around me, as she dug her nails into my shoulders. A few seconds later we screamed each others names as her walls clamped around my cock milking my release. Effectively draining me off all I had to give.

I pulled her with me to lay on our sides, still connected. We laid like that for a few minutes just gazing into each others eyes.

"That was amazing." She said still catching her breath.

"The best." I panted back. And it was. Sex had never been like this for me before. Before it was just a release, and when I was finished I quickly found an escape. Not now. Now I was content just being there. Holding her. There was no where else I'd rather be.

"Maybe next time we'll make it to the bedroom." She said giggling, reminding me that we were still laying on the floor in the front hall.

"Maybe…" I said smirking. I pulled out of her slowly and stood, lending my hand to help her up. She took it quickly and stumbled a little when she got to her feet. She turned and started to walk away, and I wasn't having that. Quickly I pulled her to me, her back pressed against me. I leaned over to whisper in her ear, "shower?"

She turned to look up at me, wiggled her eyebrows, and darted for the stairs, I was hot on her heels shortly after.

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After a very heated shower, and another hour of alone time after the shower, it was getting close to time to go. I really wasn't looking forward to having to go over to the Cullen's. I would rather have spent the rest of the night here with Bella, naked, in my bed, but she wanted to do this. So sucking it up, I stood and walked to my dresser to get some clothes. Pulling on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt I was ready to go.

Bella walked up behind me and wrapped her arms around me, pressing her face into my back.

"You know Bella…if you don't get dressed, we're not going to make it to the barbecue." I said to her, hoping that she would change her mind, and decide to stay here.

"Fine." She said pulling away and walking to her bag.

"Maybe I should go downstairs. If I stand here with you looking like that we'll never be leaving." I said watching her.

"Fine…get out…shoo." She said walking towards me, and pushing me out the door.

"Hey…" I started

"No… get out, I'll be down in a minute." She giggled, closing the door in my face.

I stood there staring at the door for a few moments, and then turned and began walking down the stairs. When I got halfway down I heard snickering coming from the living room. Picking up the pace I headed into the room.

"What the fuck are you all doing here, and how the hell did you get in here?" I asked to…well…everyone sitting around my living room.

"Jared had a key." Jake said looking up for a second and then returning his attention the game controller in his hand. Fuck I forgot that I gave him a key a last year.

"How long have you been here?" I asked to everyone.

"About an hour. You were too… uh… wrapped up… to hear us come in, and we didn't want to interrupt." Seth said.

"So you should have turned around and walked the fuck back out the door." I said a little annoyed.

"Nah. We were good, and its almost time to get going. Is uh…Bella almost ready." Jared asked.

"Yeah… she'll be down in a few. And you guys better keep your fucking comments to yourself." I said looking at Quil, who just smirked.

"Yeah…yeah… I hear you, but I cant promise anything." He said.

"Cant promise who anything Quil" I heard come from behind me.

"Uh… nothing Bella. Did you have a nice nap?" He asked her, and I glared at him.

"Sure, if you want to call it that." She said smirking as she walked up and put one of her arms around my waist. "Are you guys ready to go?"

We heard a chorus of yes's, and everyone stood and walked for the front door.

"How long have they been here?" Bella whispered when everyone made it outside.

"They said about an hour."

"Fuck…nap my ass." She said to herself after a few seconds.

"Come on lets just get this over with." I said pulling her towards the door.

We made it to the Cullen house in about twenty minutes, and headed around out back to where the smoke from the grill was rising. The smell from the vamps were almost sickening but we sucked it up…for Bella.

"Its about time you all showed up." I heard from the porch as we made it around back. "What the hell took you all so long."

"Bella needed a umm….nap?" Quil said to Emmett, making it sound more like a question.

Bella turned into my side, hiding my her face from the onlookers.

"Uh-huh. Why the embarrassment Bella?" Jasper said walking up to us.

"Shut up Jasper." She said, her voice muffled from my shirt.

"Wait…wait…no fucking way". Emmett replied, looking from me, to Bella, than to Quil and than back to me.

"Nap my ass…" He said, walking off the porch and standing next to Quil. "So…is she a screamer?" He asked nudging Quil.

"Oh my god, Quil if you answer that your never getting your stick back, and Emmett if you say anything else, I'm going to break your game system." Bella yelled, turning to face them.

"Aww come on….we're only messing with you." He said nudging Quil again.

" No… not a screamer, but the way she was moaning got me wanting Paul." Quil said causing everyone but me and Bella to start laughing.

"Ugh shut up." She said blushing and burying her face back into my side. I just glared at Quil. I was so going to fuck him up later.

A few seconds passed and suddenly Alice came down and whisked Bella away from me back in the direction of the house. I walked over to the picnic table they had set up and made myself a plate. Jasper and Emmett came over a few minutes later, sitting in front of me, both staring me down.

"Be good to her." Jasper said, confusing the hell out of me for a few seconds.

"I will be." Was the only thing I could think to say.

"We know what she's been through. And trust me when I say I looked for that fucker for a long time but couldn't find him. He's a tracker and he knows how to cover himself." Jasper said picking at something at the table.

"You really care about her don't you." I said, reading the expression on his face.

"She's the little sister I've always wanted but never had. She brought us all back a little bit of our humanity. I know its unusual… My family was and will always be there for her. Werewolves or not, we are part of her life. And I hope that you can accept that. I'd like to put aside all the differences we have. I know its not conventional for a vampire to become friends with a wolf, but I'd like to try…for Bella's sake." Jasper said, and I had to give it to him. They really did care about her. If I had any doubts before, they were all quickly washed away with his little speech.

"Yeah….what he said." Emmett said, which caused Jasper and I to laugh. Bella told me once that Emmett reminded her of Quil, and I could see the truth in the comparison.

I reached my hand across the table to shake Jasper's and then Emmett's.

"Truce." I said

"Truce." They both replied.

"Okay but I have a question now… Bella told me that James told her that he fed from animals and had golden eyes…." I started.

"Contacts…he never fed from animals. I think he knew who she was all along… the chiefs daughter… he waited for the perfect opportunity to get to her." Jasper said cutting me off.

"Oh." I said, putting the pieces together.

"Hey Bella mentioned you had a game system?" I heard Quil say, coming up to stand behind me.

"Hell yeah…interested?" Emmett said jumping up from where he was sitting.

"Dude… you don't even have to fucking ask."

A few seconds later I was sitting at the table alone with Jasper, Emmett and Quil disappearing in the house somewhere. The other guys were off to the side playing football.

Sitting there in silence, I started thinking about Bella and I. It was kind of unreal how we, the wolves, were sitting at the Cullen house, having a cookout, and being social and no one was trying to kill anyone. How fucking ironic was it that one person… one girl, could bring everyone together.

A loud crash brought me out of my heavy thinking. Looking up at Jasper and than back to the house, we quickly stood up and made our way to the porch. We picked up the pace when Esme spoke up.

"My couch… boys, what in your right mind, would cause you to use my couch as a trampoline." She said.

"Get them Esme," I heard Bella say which caused everyone to start chuckling, including myself.

"Boys?" She said again, and when we made it to the door, I saw Emmett and Quil both sitting on the broken couch looking up to an upset Esme with her arms crossed tapping her foot.

"Sorry mom, but I was winning and then he cut me off. I guess I got just a little excited. And then he got a little excited…you know this really was all his fault." Emmett said pointing to Quil.

"Nah-ah… you are not blaming me for this one. You did it." Quil said.

"No I didn't… if you didn't cut me off…."

"Yeah but you're the one that tried to push me…."

"Well you're the one that fell……"

"I wouldn't have if you didn't push me…."

"BOYS." Esme yelled, cutting both of the boys off from there argument.

I looked across the room to where Bella was standing on the stairs, she was hunched over laughing. In fact everyone was laughing.

"I don't care who did it… I want it cleaned up and your both going to be doing it. Then go down to the basement and get the one stored down there and bring it back up….And no more video games today." She said turning and walking away into the kitchen.

"Ha-ha… you guys got into so much tro…"

"BELLA…that's enough of that." Esme said cutting her off. And the two oversized men stuck there tongues out at her. She glared and then turned walking back up the stairs to where Alice was standing.

"Is he always like this?" I turned asking Jasper, talking about Emmett.

"Always… is Quil always like this?" He asked me

"Always."

"Fuck". We muttered together.

Quil and Emmett quickly got to work, pulling the large pieces of what was left of the couch out the patio door. All the other guys returned to there football game, but I noticed Brady off to the side. He was sitting on the ground deep in thought.

"He's terrified." Jasper said from behind me.

"What do you mean?" I asked turning to him.

"I can read his emotions, and I'm telling you something has him pretty scared and nervous. Maybe you should go talk to him." He said.

I nodded to Jasper and then turned and started walking to where Brady was. I quietly made it to him and sat down next to him, he didn't even realize I was there.

"You alright?" I asked starting up a conversation.

"Yeah…why?" He said jumping.

"You want to tell me what's going on up here?" I said poking his head.

"Nothing."

"Did you know that vampires sometimes have a special gift?" I asked and he looked at me confused.

"Yeah…why are you asking me that?" He said annoyed.

"Well you see that one over there?" I said pointing to Jasper.

"Yeah?"

"Well that one can read emotions. He knows what your feeling. Now I'm going to ask you again. You want to tell me what's going on?"

He looked at me for a few minutes before he spoke.

"I'm just a little nervous about tomorrow." He said

"What about tomorrow?"

"I just don't want anything to happen to anyone, especially Bella." Ah now I get it.

"Your scared someone's going to get hurt?" I asked

"Yeah." He said looking down.

"Well let me tell you something Brady. You see all these guys here?" I said waving my hand around. "No one is going to get hurt. Especially not Bella. We'll protect her, I promise. You and Collin are going to be right there with her. Even the vamps here are going to protect her." I said trying to ease his mind a little. "There's nothing to worry about… Why don't you go play some football or something. It wont help if you sit around thinking about it…. Go on." I said when he stood, pushing him towards the other guys.

I kind of knew what he was going through, but I wouldn't allow myself to feel fear. I was determined to get that fuck tomorrow, and one little slip up could fuck it all up for me. I also knew that because of the way Brady felt, he would watch Bella like a hawk tomorrow, which I was silently grateful for.

"Deep in thought?" I heard from beside me.

Looking over I saw Bella sitting there. How the hell does she manage to sneak up on me all the time.

"No not really." I replied.

"Thank you." She said

"For what?"

"For doing this." she said waving her hand. "For coming out today, it really means a lot to me."

"I know it does hun." I said. Leaning over I gently pressed my lips to her. It became heated very quickly, and my hands started roaming. Starting at the back of her neck moving lower…

"Mmhmm…get a room." I heard someone say , along with a chorus of laughter.

I pulled away slowly, and stood, grabbing her hand I brought her up to stand beside me.

"Ready to go?" I asked.

"Yeah…its getting late, and tomorrow's going to be a long day." she replied.

"Alright lets go say goodbye to everyone."

We quickly made our way around. Some of the guys wanted to stay and hang out for a little while, Brandy decided to go with us. I called his father and let him know he was staying the night at my place. We packed up the leftovers that Esme insisted on us taking and made our way to Bella's truck. Sam said he would meet me at my place at six, because Alice got anther vision that he's be there around noon. Everyone else would be meeting at the Cullen house at ten.

Making our way back in to my place, Bella quickly set up the spare room for Brady. Shortly after she made her way into our room…yes I say ours because after this fucking mess is over tomorrow I'm asking her to move in with me. We didn't speak. Climbing into bed, we held each other. I could feel her tension, and I knew she was trying to be strong, and internally I couldn't wait for tomorrow to be done and over with.

"I love you Bella." I whispered into her ear.

"I love you Paul." She said with a shaky voice.

Lightly pulling her shoulder so she would lay flat, I noticed she was crying.

"It's all going to be okay. I promise."

"I know Paul…I know."

**Let me know what you think.….We're going to be meeting James in the next chapter …**


	26. Chapter 26

**Disclaimer: Everything Twilight, including the characters ****L belong to Stephanie. I just like playing with them. **

BELLA'S POV

If I thought falling asleep in Paul's arms was great, waking in them was even better. Leaning over I placed a small kiss on his lips and unwrapped myself from his arms. Today was the day that they were going to be meeting up with James, and I was just a bit to nervous to be laying around. I needed to be doing something. Climbing out of bed, I quickly threw on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, and made my way downstairs to start a pot of coffee.

Looking at the clock I noticed it was almost six. Sam would be here soon. Pulling out the eggs and bacon from the fridge I went to work making breakfast. Just as the coffee was finished, and I poured myself a cup, I heard someone clear there throat from behind me. Turning around I came face to face with Brady.

"Morning Brady, are you hungry?" I asked.

"A little." He said turning to sit at the island.

"What time is Collin coming over?"

"He said he'd be here around eight with Emily, Kim and Claire."

"Ah…okay." I said turning back to the stove to make him a plate of food.

"Morning beautiful" I heard come from the doorway.

Turning around I made my way to him quickly and wrapped my arms around him.

"Morning. Breakfast is almost ready. Why don't you go sit down. Do you want some coffee?" I asked.

"Coffee sounds great." He said moving to sit beside Brady.

"Did you sleep okay Brady?" He asked, a little worry in his tone, and I was brought into a quick memory, of Paul sitting and talking to Brady yesterday on the side of the house. I didn't know what was said but I did know they were having a deep discussion.

"Yeah…I just might move in here. That bed upstairs is so much more comfortable than the one at my house… and at least Bella here knows how to cook." He said chuckling.

"Well eat up….Sam should be here soon, and if you want more, you better get to chewing before he shows up." I said smirking.

"Before who shows up?" Sam said coming from the front room.

"Speak of the devil." Brady whispered.

"Is that bacon I smell Bella?" Sam came in sniffing.

"Sure is… grab yourself a stool, do you want some coffee?" I asked.

"Sure, sounds great."

I quickly went to work making another plate for Sam, and then making a few cups of coffee for Paul, Sam and myself. Grabbing a glass of orange juice for Brady, I went to the island and sat down opposite them. The conversation flowed smoothly, as always, and when Sam said that Quil and Emmett got into trouble again by Esme shortly after we left, we started laughing. I guess the boys were playing some sort of game out back, which resulted in Quil's stick being thrown threw Esme's glass living room door. Esme actually made them sit in time out, which I thought was hysterical.

In no time at all breakfast was over and Paul offered to do the dishes, which I was kind of thankful for. Brady of course dried them, and put them away. If it weren't for the guys leaving in a little while to meet up with a sadistic vamp, it would have been the picture perfect moment. Making my way into the living room, Sam pulled me aside.

"Bella I wanted to talk to you for a little bit." He said

"Okay Sam…shoot."

"I don't want you to leave the house today. Stay inside. Order pizza, whatever, just don't leave. Brady and Collin will be here with you, but I still don't want to take any chances." He said worry evident in his tone.

"No problem. I actually pulled some movies out, and a few games to play with the boys. I promise I wont go anywhere Sam." I said looking up to him.

Then he surprised the shit out of me. He reached out and pulled me into a hug. He held on really tight, effectively cutting off some of my air flow.

"Sam…cant…breath." I said. He quickly placed me back on my feet. "What was that all about?" I asked.

"I don't know. I just feel like you're a massive part of our family, and I don't know what any of us will do if we lost you. The idea alone is a little nerve wracking." He said.

"Trust me Sam, I'm not going anywhere. We'll be right here when you guys get back. Hell I may even have dinner ready." I said with my best smile. I just hope it didn't look to fake.

"Okay okay break the love fest up. Collin and the girls will be here shortly and you two don't want to give anyone the wrong idea do you?" Paul said from the doorway.

"Wrong idea, what are you talking about Paul. What makes you think I've got the wrong idea?" I said winking to Sam, and resting my hand on his chest. He got the picture quickly and started rubbing small circles on my back.

"Oh hell no." He said rushing over to me and picking me up, throwing me on to the couch. I was laughing so hard the tears were falling. "Sam I'm sorry, but you can never live up to this." He said looking behind him to a laughing Sam in the doorway.

"Uh-huh." Sam said turning and walking back towards the kitchen.

"Are you trying to tease me Ms. Swan?" He asked turning back towards me.

"I don't know. Is it working Mr. Meraz?" I whispered.

"Aw come on not again." We heard come from the doorway.

"Is it already eight o'clock, shit Collin, leave and come back in twenty minutes." Paul said nuzzling into my neck.

"Hell no. I smell food, and I know Bella fucking cooked."

"Watch your mouth Collin." I said sitting up, which caused Paul to find himself on the floor.

"Hey Bella." Emily and Kim said, one coming to sit on each side of me on the couch and setting Claire on the floor with some of her toys.

"Morning. There's coffee in the kitchen." I said.

"Paul…go away, go play with the boys. Its girl time now." Kim spoke, glaring at a flustered Paul.

"Has everyone forgotten that this is my house?" He said standing and walking to the door.

"Oh you know you love us Paul." Kim said again at his retreating form.

"Yeah… lord knows why though." He said leaving the room.

"Love you babe." I called out

"Love you too hun." and he was gone.

"So….Bella….how good is it?" Kim asked turning to look at me.

"Hell no….I am not getting into this right now Kim." I said standing and making my way to the laundry room.

LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

It was almost eleven thirty, and the guys were getting ready to head out. Most of the morning, I stayed to myself, keeping busy to keep the reminder of what was to come out of my head. With each passing minute I was becoming more and more of a nervous wreck.

"We have to go hun." I heard from behind me.

"Already?" I asked, the tears coming uncontrollably now.

"Yeah… we'll be back in a few hours. I promise. Just relax and watch a few movies or play some games or something with the guys."

Easy for him to say.

"It wont be that easy." I said pulling him to me and pressing my face into his shirt. Inhaling deeply.

"I know…. I love you Bella." He said leaning down and pressing his lips to mine. I eagerly returned it, never wanting it to break. Pulling away slowly I whispered back to him.

"I love you Paul… so much. Bring everyone back."

"I will." He turned and started walking out the door with Sam hot on his heels. "Keep an eye on her boys." I heard him tell Collin and Brady and then he was gone.

I had a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach…something wasn't right, and I was scared shitless that one of the guys was going to be coming home hurt. I dropped to my knees as the sobs wracked through my body.

"It's okay Bella." I heard as two smaller arms wrapped around me. "Everything's going to be okay."

"I cant help it Brady." I cried into him.

"Why don't we get up and go in the living room. Collin is on the phone ordering a few pizza's. Maybe we can play Jenga or something." He said trying to lighten the mood.

I quickly stood, trying to pull myself together.

"Come on…lets go." I said grabbing his hand, and pulling him to the living room.

Even though everyone was still worried, we managed to come together and play a few amusing rounds of Jenga. Collin and Brady lost a couple of times, there hands just a bit to big to pull the little blocks out without collapsing the tower.

Deciding that the games were becoming boring, Collin stood and put a movie in. I went out to the kitchen with Emily to get a few snacks when my cell started ringing. Reaching for it quickly I snapped it open and put it to my ear.

"_Hello?" _I asked.

"_Bella… thank god I've been trying to reach you for a few days." _

"_I haven't heard my phone ring Phil. What's going on?" _I asked.

I could hear the tension in his voice from the other end.

"_Hunny it's Renee." _He said and I dropped to my knees.

"_Phil…what's going on? Don't be cryptic, just tell me." _I said.

"_She was in an accident hunny… I'm so sorry… she didn't make it." He said sobbing. _

"_Why the hell hasn't anyone called me?" I asked. _

"_I did try calling… I even left messages."_

"_What kind of accident Phil?" _

"_I'm not 100% sure hunny, but they said that she died almost instantly. She lost control and hit a tree and her car caught fire because of a gas leak…. I'm so sorry hunny."_

I could handle this right now…it was all to much.

"_I have to go Phil. I cant handle this right now. I'll call you later." _

"_Okay hunny. I'll talk to you later."_

The line went dead. I just sat there staring at the floor.

"This is all just too fucking much." I whispered to myself.

"Bella….Bella hunny what's wrong?" Emily said coming to kneel next to me.

"It's Renee." I whispered.

"What about her?"

"She's dead." I cried into my hands.

"Oh hunny.. I'm so sorry" she said wrapping her arms around me.

I quickly picked up my phone and started going through my missed calls. He said he left messages, and that he called a few times. I know I forgot my phone here quite a bit, but there were never any missed calls from anyone. What the fuck is going on.

Brady came in a few minutes later. Picking me up, he brought me into the living room, and sat down with me in his lap. Cradling me, kind of how a parent does with there child. He was rubbing my back and telling me it was going to be okay. I only hoped he was right. I had to much going on right now. I didn't need anything else.

"What time is it?" I asked

"Almost twelve thirty." Collin said after a few minutes.

Great they should be meeting up with James and Irina, any time now, if they haven't already. My body started trembling, and Brady held me tighter. A few minutes later the there was a knock at the door.

"The pizza's here I'll get it." I said standing and walking to my purse. "I'll be right there." I yelled towards the door.

Grabbing my wallet, I made my way towards the door. Opening it fear wracked my body.

"Hello, Bella."

"What are you doing here." I said shaking.

"Ah, your friends are so naive. I've actually come to see you." He said stepping closer and running his finger down my face.

"I saw your mother a couple of days ago… she sends her regards. Although she didn't taste as good as you. You really shouldn't leave your cell phone laying around though." He whispered leaning closer to me. I froze.

"You killed her." I screamed.

Everything happened so fast, I was being pulled away from the door by someone, as a huge wolf ran past me, diving at James knocking him out the door. Looking behind me I knew who it was.

"BRADY….NOOOO."

**Sorry about the cliffy…let me know what you think. **


	27. Chapter 27

**Disclaimer: Stephanie owns everything Twilight, I just like playing with the characters, especially Paul. **

PAUL'S POV

Walking out of the house with Sam was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. I know Bella was scared, and I couldn't wait until we got this over with. Walking behind my house quickly, Sam, and I went into the woods, stripped and phased.

"_You doing okay there?" Sam asked_

"_Yeah… I'm good. Just cant wait to get this the fuck over with." I said. _

"_What the hell is taking you fuckers so long?" _

"_Shut the fuck up Quil, we'll get there when we get there." I replied. _

"_Whatever… you know Esme cooked for everyone again this morning." Quil stated. _

"_And…." Sam dragged out. _

"_I didn't know if you guys were hungry." _

"_No Bella cooked Paul and I breakfast this morning." Sam said. _

"_Fuck…next time I'm staying the night at your place Paul." _

"_No fucking way… I'm still going to beat the shit out of you for embarrassing Bella yesterday too."_

"_Your so fucking whipped." He replied. _

"_Its better than being a seventeen year old werewolf who is told to sit in time out by a vampire."_

He growled and then phased back, which made Sam and I laugh. When we made it to the Cullen house, we quickly phased and pulled our shorts on. Walking around the back we met up with the entire pack, and the Cullen's.

"Leah, Jake and Embry…you start patrols…stay close, and if anything is out of whack, send the signal." Sam said.

Quickly the three of them ran off, leaving a few stunned vamps in the yard.

"What?" Sam said turning to them.

"The girl…Leah…she's a wolf?" Carlisle asked.

"I thought you knew that yesterday when you said to bring the wolves and Bella." Sam replied.

"I didn't think she was a wolf. I didn't know females could phase."

"Trust us when we say, that we didn't know it was possible either. It kind of just happened. But I will ask you to please not piss her off. She can be a real bitch at times." I said.

After about ten minutes of hanging out we got the signal from Jake and we all took off in the direction he was in. Everyone stripped quickly and phased, while the Cullen's ran beside us, straight for the clearing.

When we got to the clearing, Jake, Leah, and Embry had a leech surrounded, who I'm guessing was Irina. We didn't see James anywhere, but that didn't mean he wasn't there. Just playing it smart and hiding.

"_Something's not right." _I heard from Sam

"_Jake, did you pick up any other scents?"_

"_No Sam. Just this one."_

"_I'll phase and talk to her._" Sam said walking into the trees.

He returned quickly with the rest of us flanking his sides.

"Where is your friend?" He asked her.

"I don't know what your talking about." She said.

"Oh cut the shit Irina, where's James?" The tall blonde one, I think her name is Rosalie, said.

"He's not with me."

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Alice freeze, in some sort of trance.

"Ali hun…what are you seeing?" Jasper said walking up to her and reaching for her hand.

Ahh she was having a vision. Everyone stopped to wait for her to tell us what she saw. She turned to me quickly.

"PAUL…RUN…TO BELLA NOW. HE'S THERE." She screamed.

I turned and high tailed it back to LaPush. That fucker had us fooled the whole fucking time.

"_We're right here Paul." Sam said running up from behind me. _

"_What happened to the bitch in the field?" I asked not slowing my pace. _

"_Rosalie started tearing her apart, when she started laughing." Jake said coming up beside me. _

"_We have to get there. Sam she knew something wasn't right. Why the fuck did none of us listen to her. Brady and Collin wont be able to handle him." I said panicking._

"_We'll get there Paul…..we'll get there." Embry said coming up behind us. _

"_Let me so get a hold of that fucker." Leah said._

"_What about the Cullen's?" Quil said_

"_What about them?" Sam said. _

"_They can't come on our land. We may need there help." Quil replied quickly. _

"_Your right….Seth?"_

"_Yeah Sam?" _

"_Run back to the Cullen's and tell them that we may need there help and to hurry. I'll allow them on our land right now, and we'll discuss the treaty when this is over." Sam said quickly._

"_Gotcha. I'll be back." Seth said turning and running back towards the clearing. _

When we got to the tree line behind my house, we could all smell it.

"_He's here." I said. _

"_Wait…don't do anything yet Paul." Sam ordered. _

A second later we heard Brady phase and scream no. He jumped through the door, knocking James back. That was it, I wasn't fucking standing there anymore.

Picking up a little speed, Sam and I were around the house in a flash. Brady and James were face to face, Brady growling.

"_Brady, we're here." Sam said. _

"_This ass killed her mother." He said growling. _

"_What do you mean?" I asked._

"_She got a call from her step dad… Renee was killed.." He said starting to snarl. "I'm going to rip him to shreds." _

"_Brady…no!" I shouted. _

Brady ran at him, just as James reached out and grabbed him by his leg, and swung him into a tree. He let out a painful yelp.

"_Fuck….Leah… check on Brady." Sam yelled. "Everyone else…get the fucker."_

James turned and ran into the trees. Fuck he was fast. Quil, Sam, Jake, Jared, Embry and myself were having a hard ass time keeping up with him. Fuck Bella.

"_Brady can you hear me?" I asked_

"_Yeah…she's okay… Collin has her in the house. He pulled her back in time." He thought. _

"_Are you okay?" Sam thought._

"_I don't know man. I know I'm hurting pretty bad." He said. _

"_Seth you still out there?" Sam thought._

"_Yeah."_

"_Get Dr. Cullen to Brady…quick." _

"_I'm on it." _

We were following this fucker in circles. Every time one of us would get a little ahead he seemed to pick up the pace, and dart away from us again. It was royally pissing me the fuck off.

Then out of know where we saw a quick blur and it crashed right into the side of James. Everyone stopped quickly.

"_What the fuck was that?" Quil asked. _

"_I don't know, move slowly but be on guard." Sam said, and we all started moving towards the blurs rotating around each other in the field. _

"_How in the fuck did we end up back here?" Jake thought._

"_Does it really fucking matter…what the fuck is that?" I asked._

Just than the we saw James duck, but he wasn't quick enough as the other person there grabbed him by his neck, lifting him a clear foot off the ground. We all stood, frozen in our spots.

"You know you fucked with the wrong family right?" He said.

"That bitch deserves to die… who the fuck are you to stop me" James stated.

"Jasper the fucking Whitlock Cullen…."

I guess his name was well know because if James' face could become even more pale it would have, his mouth was hanging open. I'm sure that if he could have pissed his pants he would have.

"_Jake, Embry…phase back and start a fire. This is ending really soon." Sam ordered, and the two left. _

I slowly began to walk up to the two in the middle of the clearing.

"You know…I've been looking for you for a long time." Jasper said snarling into his face. "But unfortunately this guy right here wants you a little more." He said nodding to me.

Fuck yeah… Jasper just became my new favorite fucking person.

I walked up to the side of them and Jasper nodded to me again. All the wolves surrounded James and Jasper, and Jasper dropped him, turned and walked out of the circle we made around them.

"_Jared, help me out here…but save the fucking head." _I thought

We both jumped in ripping the fucker to shreds. Jared missed out the last few times, it's the least I could do for him now. While we were ripping him apart, Jake and Embry were quickly grabbing the scattered pieces and throwing them into the fire.

"_Everyone phase back." _I said. _"But don't touch the fucking head." _

We all walked back behind the tree line.

"_Seth, how's Brady?" _Sam asked right before I got a chance to phase back.

"_Doc said he'll be fine. He's got a broken leg and a few fractured ribs, but he'll be okay._

"_Come back to the clearing. And bring Leah, Bella and Collin…ask the doc to stay with Brady…hurry up." I said. _

"_What the fuck are you doing Paul?" Sam asked._

"_It's a surprise." I said and phased._

About half an hour later, Seth showed up with Collin and Bella.

"Are you okay?" I said running up to her and wrapping her into my arms.

"Yeah…I'm okay…they got me out of the way in the time…what about everyone else…is everyone okay?" she asked, a little worry in her tone.

"Yeah babe…its over…everything's okay." I whispered leaning in to kiss her passionately.

"Uh-hum…are you going to tell us why we aren't burning the fuckers head? You know he's still fucking snarling at us….its kind of creepy." Quil spoke up. Reminding me off why I brought everyone out in the first place.

"You still have his head? What's going on Paul?" Bella asked.

"Nothing babe… I promise, everything's okay. Just do me a favor and go sit over there." I said pointing off to the side of the clearing. "Rosalie, can you go sit with her please?" I asked. She just didn't look like the kind of person that would be into what I had in mind.

"Yeah… sure Paul." She said walking over and sitting next to Bella. They were both giving me weird looks.

"Before I start, has the other one been taken care of?" I asked, walking to the middle of the clearing.

"Yeah, I took care of that bitch." Rose said.

"Alright…okay, I need Sam, Embry, Alice, Emmett, Seth, and Jared to go stand at the other end of the field." I said pointing to where they needed to go. "Collin, Leah, Jasper, Jake, Quil, and myself will be down here." I said walking to the unoccupied end.

"Are you going to tell us what the fuck were doing." Emmett said.

"Sure." I said walking back towards the middle of the field, where James head still sat.

Picking it up and looking into his eyes I began talking.

"You see… you lost at your own fucking game…. Now I'm going to show you how a true game is fucking played." I looked up to everyone staring at me… "Who's up for some fucking football?" I asked running back down to the other end of the field with James head still in my hand.

Everyone began cheering and laughing. Lining up with the other guys on my side, I threw James head across the field towards the other team, and charged.

**Okay…I hope you all liked… please review….**


	28. Chapter 28

**Disclaimer: Stephanie owns everything Twilight. I like playing with the wolves. **

BELLA'S POV

After Paul threw James' head across the field I barreled over laughing. In a way I kind of felt a little sorry for him…kind of. I definitely didn't expect to be sitting at a football game watching overgrown werewolves and vampires chase the screaming "ball" around the field. And he was screaming. At one point Emmett even held him by the ears for another kick off. I'm sure if Rose could cry she would be too. We were holding onto each other for support.

When the game was over the guys built a small fire on each side of the field.

"What are you doing now?" I asked.

"Soccer." Jake said laughing.

"You don't have any nets." I said chuckling.

"That's the point of the fire Bells…come on catch up. Obviously the fires are the goals."

It took me a minute for me to catch up, but when the guys started running down the field kicking James around and towards the fire I caught on. Jasper won the game when Alice couldn't block the kick and purple smoke rose from behind her. After another round of laughter everyone started heading towards Rose and me.

"Was that okay hun?" Paul said grabbing my hands and pulling me up.

"I loved it…couldn't be better."

"You ready to go back to my place?" He asked.

"Yeah…I really need to check on Brady."

"What happened anyways?" He asked.

"Phil called from Phoenix, said that mom got into a car accident and didn't make it, I broke down, Brady helped me, and then there was a knock at the door. I thought it was the pizza guy, but it was James. He said that I tasted better than mom. Collin pulled me away from the door, and the next thing I know Brady's flying through the door." I said tearing up again.

"Aw hun, its okay." He said pulling me into a hug, rubbing my back in soothing circles.

"What about the Cullen's?" I asked after a few minutes.

"What about them?"

"I want them to be able to come over. They helped out a lot. They deserve to be there too." I said.

"Hold on a sec." He gave me a quick kiss on my forehead and than walked over to Sam.

They were speaking for a few minutes, and then they broke apart. Sam cleared his throat to get everyone's attention.

"I just wanted to thank the Cullen's for there support the last couple of days. We were able to get James because of you Jasper." He said turning to him. "And we are very grateful for that. Because of recent events, I have decided to dissolve the treaty. As long as you continue to feed the way you do, you are welcome on the rez. But I must add that if there is a slip up, and you bite a human, we will have to take measures to make sure it never happens again." Everyone was beyond excited, as we headed back to Paul's house.

LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

When we made it to the front of the house, I quickly released Paul and ran through the front door, and up to the spare bedroom where Brady was. Slamming the door open, I saw Brady laying down watching T.V.

"Brady what the hell was that today?" I asked. "You know you could have been killed?"

"It doesn't matter Bella. Its over with. Nothing happened."

"Nothing happened….look at you…your all banged up, shit this would never have happened if you didn't have to watch me." I said sitting beside him on the bed, my head in my hands.

"Bella, I would do it all over again if I had too." He said pulling me down to lay beside him.

"Fuck Brady, you could have been a lot worse."

"Watch your mouth Bella." He said to me chuckling.

"Yeah, yeah. I suppose I should go talk to your father. Tell him you're a little messed up."

"He doesn't know I'm a wolf Bella."

"It's okay. I wont tell him Brady."

"He'll probably kick me out." He said sitting up and looking down in his lap.

"Why would he kick you out?" I asked.

"Because he said the next time I screwed up that I would have to find somewhere else to stay."

"What do you mean the next time you screwed up?" I was confused, Brady was a good kid… who made good grades at school. He never got into any trouble.

"With patrol, and coming home late, or leaving for no reason, he thinks I'm a trouble maker. This will only drive him over the edge. He said before that he didn't want me hanging out with all the older guys, but he wont say anything to Sam. He goes along with Sam, when he talks to him because he's technically the chief. He doesn't want to cross him."

I was starting to get a little upset. I've never actually met there dad, but I've heard before that he was a major hard ass.

"I'll be back Brady. Why don't you get some rest." I said standing and walking to the door.

Walking downstairs quickly I made it to the living room. Everyone was sitting around playing video games.

"Collin…lets go." I said walking to him and grabbing his hand.

"Where are we going?" He asked.

"For a walk….don't argue."

He looked at me funny for a few minutes, and then followed me out the door.

When we made it to his house he hesitated for a few.

"What are we doing Bee." He asked

"I just wanted to tell you father that Brady got hurt today."

"This isn't going to go well."

"It doesn't matter. Lead the way Collin." I said stepping aside so he could walk in front of me.

When we made it into his house I followed Collin into the living room where an elderly lady was sitting on the couch and a very stern looking man sitting in a chair off to the side.

"Dad…there's someone here to see you." Collin said as we made it to the middle of the living room.

I walked up to him and reached my hand out, hoping he would take it, but he didn't. Ass.

"Hello sir. My name is Bella Swan."

"Ah yes, the police chiefs daughter."

"Yes sir." I said.

"What can I do for you?"

"I just wanted to let you know that Brady was in a fight today, that was by no means his fault, and he was roughed up a bit."

"What's a bit?" He asked, and I looked over to Collin.

"Well sir, he has a broken leg and a couple of cracked ribs. He's resting now at Paul's house under the care of Dr. Cullen."

"At Paul's house?" He asked.

"Yes sir."

"You know ever since he started hanging out with those boys he's been nothing but trouble. Collin to for that matter."

"Sir, I'll have to disagree with you on that. These boys are some of the most well behaved kids I've ever met."

"Whatever… they sneak out all of the time, come home late. Get into fights. Skip school to go with you to Seattle….yes.. don't think I don't know about that Ms. Swan." he said waving his hand around. The volume of his voice rising with every word.

"Sir it was there birthday, I thought a trip to the zoo would be nice for them. I meant no harm." I said back.

"It doesn't mean anything, I told these boys that if they didn't stop that they'd have to find somewhere else to go. I cant deal with a couple of rebellious teens. They'll have to learn one way or another." He said pointing at Collin who had his eyes planted to the floor.

"Your kicking them out then?" I asked. I couldn't believe this guy. If only he knew that his son's… the ones he's talking about so badly now, were protectors of the tribe, I bet his whole outlook would change.

"You know I cant deal with this now. Collin you need to leave. And take her with you. When you decide not to hang out with those boys anymore than your welcome to come back."

"You know what sir. I really feel bad for you. You're the one missing out." I turned quickly to look at Collin. "Go pack a bag, and get one for your brother too." He disappeared quickly out of the room.

"Sir I mean no disrespect when I say that your making a mistake. Collin and Brady love you. They need you. And when you realize that, they'll be at Paul's… I only hope for your sake you don't wait to long…they may not want to come back…" I said.

"Goodbye Ms. Swan." he said looking back at the television, effectively dismissing me.

I went back out to the hallway to wait for Collin who appeared out of one of the rooms down the hall. We walked quickly back to my truck, and went back to Paul's.

"Collin I need to you come with me upstairs, to talk to Brady." I said still sitting in the truck.

"Okay Bee…but you didn't have to do this."

"No I didn't, but I did." I said.

We climbed out of the truck, and made our way inside. I looked through the living room and nodded at Paul and then nodded to the stairs, signaling him that I wanted him to follow. He stood quickly and followed Collin and me up the stairs and into Brady's room.

"What's going on?…Why do you have my bag Collin?" Brady asked as we made it through the door.

"Well… your going to be staying here for a little while Brady…Collin too." I said, glancing at Paul.

"What do you mean…you went over there didn't you Bella?" He asked. I nodded. "He kicked us out huh?" he asked and I nodded again.

"He'll come around Brady, he just doesn't realize what he has. But he will. Give him a little while." I said with a sad smile.

"Yeah…sure."

"Why don't you and Collin talk for a little bit, and I'll be back later." I said pulling Paul to the door.

He pulled me into his room, and shut the door behind us. I went and sat on the bed.

"So there dad kicked them out huh?" he asked coming to sit by me.

"Yeah… but he'll want them back soon. I wish the boys would be allowed to tell him. It would change his whole outlook on this."

"I could always talk to Sam…see if this could be the one exception."

"Yeah…would you?…I know it would help." I said looking over to him.

"Yeah…I'll talk to him later…. Do you want to go out to the cliff for a little while?"

"Actually that sounds perfect…oh by the way I hope your not upset about me telling the boys they could stay here?"

"No, I'm not upset. They're here most of the time anyways." He said smirking… "Come on lets go." He said standing and taking my hand.

LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

It was starting to get colder now, and I'm happy Paul remembered to grab a blanket, as we made our way to the ledge. The water was crashing against the rocks a little harder, indicating a storm was coming in.

"I cant believe its all over." I whispered. "Finally".

"Yeah…we don't have to worry about any of it anymore. But I actually brought you up here for a reason?" He said pulling me against him, wrapping his arms around my waist.

"It's a little to cold up here for me to be getting naked Paul." I said smirking.

"That's not the reason I brought you up here…but now that you mention it." He said nibbling against my neck.

"Hey now…none of that…what is the reason you brought me up here."

He stood there for a moment…quiet…lost in thought.

"Well are you going to spit it out?" I asked.

"Look Bella, I know we haven't known each other that long. Almost two months. But I was wondering if maybe…if you'd move in with me?" He said burying his face in my shoulder.

"You want me to move in with you?" I asked.

"Yeah…would you?"

I thought about it for a minute, and then decided to mess with him a little.

"I cant."

"Why not?" he said spinning me around.

"There's not another basket for my clothes, and the alarm clock by your bed seems to be broken. How will I ever get up?" I said smirking.

"Oh you little….." he said tickling me.

"Paul….come…on….cant….breath." I gasped.

"So is that a yes Ms. Swan?" He asked after my breathing slowed.

"Yeah Paul…it's a yes." I said pulling him down to meet my lips.

He broke away shortly after, looking into my eyes.

"Hey…what did you wish for on that shooting star.?" He asked.

"Honestly?" I said.

"Yeah."

"You."

**Let me know what you think…..**


	29. Chapter 29

**Disclaimer: Everything Twilight belongs to Stephanie…**

PAUL POV

Its been three weeks, since we had the run in with James. Things couldn't have been better. Bella moved in with me shortly after I asked her, and we've been closer than ever. The day after the whole James incident, Bella talked to her stepfather Phil and decided that it would just be best if she stayed here. She didn't feel comfortable going back to Arizona for Renee's funeral and Phil understood.

After a long talk with Sam, it was decided that Brady and Collin could tell there father about them, and they had the entire pack there to back them up. It took about a week for there father to come around, but when he did, the reunion between him and the boys couldn't have gone any smoother. Unfortunately though it did not stop them from being at my house every waking second. But at least there dad wasn't threatening to kick them out anymore. We explained to him the bond we all had with one another, our brotherhood, and told him that we would be there for them regardless of whether or not he 'allowed' it. And he pretty much backed off.

Edward and Tanya came back from Denali a few days after James was taken care of, but then left again for some part of the world. Tanya was a little upset that her sister was unfortunately dismembered and than burned, but she seemed to get over it pretty quickly. She understood that Irina fucked up pretty bad.

As weird as this is going to sound, Jasper and I became close friends. He told me about his past in the southern vampire wars, and what he's been through since. I give that man a lot of credit. And now I fully understood why James almost pissed himself when he said his name. Shit I was freaking out just listening to it.

Alice and Bella…well, whenever Alice was around, Bella disappeared. Shopping, or dressing up, or whatever the hell they do together.

Bella and I had a long discussion a couple of weeks back about what we wanted to do with ourselves in the future. She said she loved my cooking, and I loved hers. So after some searching and doing a lot of homework, we decided that we were going to open a small deli/ diner in LaPush. The guys could work there and earn some extra cash, and when they were needed, they could leave. Bella is going to be doing some classes online to get a business degree, and a degree in accounting so she can run most of the shit that goes on behind the business. With the settlement that I got from my dad's death, that I received when I was twenty one and the money that Bella had, we had plenty to start up the business.

"Paul?" Bella said pulling me out of my deep thought.

"Yeah babe?"

"I want to go out tonight." she said.

"Where do you want to go?"

"Port Angeles."

"What's in Port Angeles?" I asked.

"That new club."

"Babe as much as I'd love to go with you to a club, your not twenty one yet. You wont be able to get in."

"Yes I can… I looked it up, they have an open mic night, and karaoke on Saturdays, open to anyone eighteen and older." She said looking up at me.

"Ugh fine… I didn't know you liked karaoke."

"I don't." She said turning to walk away.

"Hey where are you going?" I asked

"Do me a favor and call Jared and ask him if he'll come…oh and to bring Kim…..I'm going to call Alice and Jasper and see if they want to come." She said walking up the stairs.

Walking over to my cell I picked it up and quickly dialed the number.

"_Hey…what's up?" _Jared asked from the other end.

"_Not to much….Bella wants to go out tonight and wanted to know if you and Kim want to come." _I said.

"_Oh, okay…hold on…" _I heard him put the phone down and walk away. Waiting for a few minutes, he finally came back. _"Yeah we're in. Where are we going anyways?" _

"_Bella said she wanted to go to an open mic karaoke thing they had at the new club in Port Angeles."_

"_Why in the hell would she want to go to that."_

"_Your guess is as good as mine… meet me at my house in an hour."_

"_Okay…see you." _He said.

I heard the door slam open just then and a blur run up the stairs. Ahhh… the pixie's here. Shortly after Jasper walked through the door.

"I take it your going?" I asked with a smirk.

"Yeah… as soon as Bella told Alice what she wanted to do, she dragged me out the door. Emmett will be over shortly, I think he wanted to see what Quil was up too."

"Alright have a seat. Jared and Kim will be over in a little bit too. Bella asked me to call them to see if they wanted to go."

"Cool…" He said turning his attention to the game on the tv.

A few minutes later Emmett and Quil came running through the door with Brady and Collin following shortly after.

"Hey guys what's up?" I asked.

"Nothing… bored. We were wondering if we could hang out here for a little while." Collin said.

"Sorry guys but were going out. You and Brady cant be left here alone." I said.

"We'll watch them." Quil and Emmett both said at the same time.

"NOOOO." Came from a chorus of people from across the house.

"Why not?" Quil said.

"Because you and Emmett are not going to be hanging out here, together, without anyone here to watch you." Bella said coming down the stairs.

"Well, where else are we supposed to go?" Emmett said.

"Go back to your house." I said.

"They cant." Jasper replied.

"Why not?" Bella said.

Both the guys dropped their heads and where gazing at the floor.

"Because they were grounded for a month. There not allowed to be in the house together." Alice said.

"What did they do to get grounded." Bella asked.

"They were throwing a stick across the house at one another, and they threw it into Esme's china cabinet. Some of that stuff was over 100 years old." Alice replied.

"He started it." Emmett said.

"You're the one that threw it…" Quil replied.

"You threw it first…."

"Did not…"

"Did too…"

"SHUT UP." Bella yelled, shutting everyone up. " You guys are not staying here when we're not here, you can go into the woods or something."

"Fine." They both said walking towards the back door.

"Collin, Brady, why don't you go over to Jakes and see what he's doing." I said turning to look at them.

"Ugh…okay." They said walking out the front door.

"You guys ready to go?" I asked, noticing everyone standing by the door, I guess waiting on me.

"Yeah, but what are we taking?" Bella asked. I guess we never thought of that.

"I brought Emmett's Jeep." Jasper said. "It's big enough to fit everyone."

We all walked out the door and climbed into the jeep. Jasper took the wheel and we were off to Port Angeles. Jasper got us there in less than forty five minutes, and when I saw the line outside of the club, I was beginning to change my mind about the entire evening.

"Come on… Alice will get us in." Jasper said, probably feeling the anxiety from having to stand in a line all night.

Sure enough Alice walked up to the bouncer and whispered something into his ear. He smirked and said something back to her, then stepped aside letting us all pass into the club. I didn't fail to notice all the pissed off people outside cussing us out either.

"I take it you do that often?" I asked.

"Sometimes." Alice said giggling.

We quickly made our way in and found a table near the front. The girls all disappeared to the bar, where there was a sign up sheet for the songs they wanted to sing. The guys, including myself decided to just sit back and watch. I know I couldn't sing, and I wasn't going to pretend to try either.

A few minutes later Alice walked back towards the direction that we entered the club from, and Bella and Kim were smirking at each other, walking back to the table.

"Where'd Alice go, and what's so funny?" Jasper asked before I got a chance too.

"She'll be right back…she had to umm…. Do something for me." Bella said smirking again.

I knew we weren't going to get any answers so I let it go. These girls have proved numerous times, that its better not to ask. Alice came back a few minutes later, walking from the direction of the stage. How the hell did I miss her coming back in?

We sat around for about forty five minutes listening to other people try to sing, and it was highly amusing.

"Next we have Alice Cullen…Alice the stage is yours." The bartender said.

Alice stood up and made her way to the stage. We all started laughing when the music started playing. Don't Cha by the Pussycat dolls. She had it down though. She was shaking her ass and running her hands up and down her body. Jasper was sitting next to me twitching in his seat. When the song ended, she hurried off the stage and jumped into Jaspers lap. The crowd was already cheering, and with the display that her and Jasper were putting on, they were getting louder and louder by the second.

"Hey…guys…knock it off." Bella said laughing.

"Ugh…sorry Bella." Jasper said pulling away.

"Lets give another round of applause to the lovely Alice Cullen…" The crowd erupted again. " Next we have the lovely Kim Jenks… the stage is yours."

Kim made her way to the stage. When the music started playing Jared and I almost fell out of our seats laughing. Who knew Kim had it in her. She was singing Shakira's She Wolf. I thought Jared was going to run up there and pull her down a few times. The guys were moving closer to the stage, and a few times, Jasper had to send him calming waves. When the song was over, he ran up to the stage and she jumped off into his arms. I guess he didn't want her walking through the men. He kissed her hard when they got back to the table.

"Awesome Kim…nice job… okay up next we have an original. Bella and Jared, your up." The bartender said.

"Bella, why did he call my name?" Jared asked her, and I kind of wanted to know too.

"Jared…do you remember that song that you played for me all those times?…The one I said was my favorite."

He nodded.

"Will you come up and play it now?" She asked, giving her puppy eyes.

"Ugh Bella, you should have told me." He said giving in. "I don't have my guitar here."

"Sure you do…its up on stage." Alice said.

I looked over to the stage and sure enough there was his guitar, propped against a stool sitting in the middle.

"Fine come on." He said standing and reaching for her hand.

"Jasper I need some calm here." She said to him real quick and I'm guessing he threw her some. "I love you babe." she said leaning down to kiss me. She pulled away all to quick and made her way to the stage, Jared following closely behind.

"Hi..I'm Bella, and this is my close friend Jared. We're going to be playing an original tonight. I actually surprised Jared with this. He wrote the music, but because he cant keep a secret I wrote some lyrics to it, and never told him. This is for you Paul." She said looking at me.

She turned to look at Jared as he started strumming his guitar. And then she started singing.

It's not so easy loving me.

It gets so complicated

All the things you gotta be.

Everything's changing

But you're the truth

I'm amazed by all your patience

Everything I put you through.

And when I'm about to fall

Somehow your always waitin

With your open arms to catch me

You're gonna save me from myself

From myself, yes

You're gonna save me from myself.

My love is tainted by your touch

Cuz some guys have shown me aces,

But you've got that royal flush

I know it's crazy everyday

Well tomorrow may be shaky

But you never turn away

Don't ask me why I'm Cryin

Cuz when I start to crumble

You know how to keep me smiling

You always save me from myself

From myself, myself

Your gonna save me from myself

I know its hard, its hard

But you've broken all my walls

You've been my strength, so strong

And don't ask me why I love you

It's obvious your tenderness

Is what I need to make me

A better woman to myself

To myself, myself

You're gonna save me from myself. ~

The music ended and the crowd cheered harder than ever. She stood there looking at me, but I didn't know what to think. I was so overwhelmed that she wrote a song for me. And I knew this song had more meaning than anyone in this place knew about.

"Thank you." She said pulling her eyes away from mine. She turned quickly and gave Jared a hug, and they walked down off the stage hand in hand.

"That was amazing Bella." Kim said walking up to her… " You were really good to babe." She said pulling Jared into another passionate kiss.

"Did you like it?" She said turning to face me. Like it…. Holy hell…

"Babe that was perfect." I said pulling her into my lap.

"You know what its true." She said into my shoulder.

"What's that?" I asked.

"You saved me Paul…from myself."

"You saved me too Bella" I said holding on even tighter.. She lifted her head and brought her lips down to meet mine. It wasn't desperate. It wasn't needy. It just was.

After a few minutes I pulled away and looked down into her eyes.

"Come on…Lets go home."

The End.

**I hope you all enjoyed it. The song was called Save me from myself by Christina Aguilera… Review if you'd like….**


	30. Chapter 30

Hey Guys…. I hate doing this. I've never left one of these A/N … but it has to be done. This story is going to be fixed. So I'm going to be taking it down for a while. I'm taking some things out…and adding others. While I'm doing it, I'm going to be moving it to my other user account, under the name l3liss. Sorry to be doing this…but alas it needs to be done. Thanks ya'll.

Christina.


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